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Suit: Siegfried taunts, torments, humiliates his magician partner Roy
By Lisa Sweetingham, Court TV
Wed Oct 26, 6:25 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Court TV) — The bodyguard who once protected tiger tamer Roy Horn of the Siegfried & Roy magic duo claims that Siegfried Fischbacher is a "tyrant" who overmedicates and humiliates the ailing Horn, who is still recovering from a tiger-mauling incident.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ct/20051026/cr_ct/suitsiegfriedtauntstormentshumiliateshismagicianpartnerroy
"Siegfried was a tyrant and had loud, explosive outbursts at the plaintiff and at Roy," says the civil suit filed by Louis Mydlach, a former Siegfried & Roy insider.
"[Fischbacher] forced Roy to take medication, even when Roy begged to not be medicated," the suit claims.
Siegfried is also accused of refusing to hire competent medical workers to look after Horn's day-to-day needs, and painting a picture in the media of the "amazing physical rehabilitation of Roy" when those close to the star knew "it was all propaganda."
Mydlach says his role changed from that of security guard to caretaker, "in all the undignified matters concerning his debilitating condition ... including personal care cleaning, bathing and various bathroom duties."
Mydlach, who reportedly has no attorney, filed the suit himself on Oct. 11. He is seeking at least $10,000 in damages for emotional distress and wrongful discharge.
Horn, 61, was mauled on stage by one of his 380-pound white tigers during a "Siegfried & Roy" show at the Mirage in 2003. He is still in rehabilitation, he told the Las Vegas Sun earlier this month, and suffers partial paralysis after being attacked by Montecore, the white tiger he still visits, allegedly in ill-fitting clothes.
"[Fischbacher] declined to purchase new clothing for Roy, and Roy's clothing had to be pinned up to stay on because of his drastic loss of weight, causing him embarrassment and a loss of self-esteem," Mydlach's suit claims.
The bodyguard says he was on anti-depressants from the stress of having to watch as Horn "lay tormented" and "scared" of Fischbacher. He left his position last winter, and says he is still "haunted and distressed" by his concern for Horn.
During his tenure working at the pair's mansion, Mydlach claims he and Horn shared a secret code so that Horn could cue him whenever he needed to be removed from any uncomfortable situations.
He says that at Horn's request, he provided the magician with an emergency cellphone and a knife, "so that he could protect himself" from Siegfried whenever Mydlach was not there.
Shortly after his position ended, Mydlach says he received "dead air" phone calls from the emergency number he gave to Horn, but has been denied access to the property to check on his friend.
Mydlach, 34, met Siegfried and Roy as a child when they hired his father's company for security services. He says he has a "close and almost familial relationship," with Horn, but presumably not close enough to give him legal rights over Horn's care.
"As a non-family member," his suit states, "plaintiff believes that he has no standing to request that the courts grant him guardianship of Roy or to request that Roy be given an independent medical consultation."
Mydlach could not be reached for comment, but he told the Las Vegas Review Journal that he had photos, video and documentation to support his allegations.
Fischbacher's lawyer, John Moran Jr., issued a statement calling the allegations "totally false" and branding Mydlach "disgruntled."
"This complaint will be zealously defended against," Moran said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
By Lisa Sweetingham, Court TV
Wed Oct 26, 6:25 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (Court TV) — The bodyguard who once protected tiger tamer Roy Horn of the Siegfried & Roy magic duo claims that Siegfried Fischbacher is a "tyrant" who overmedicates and humiliates the ailing Horn, who is still recovering from a tiger-mauling incident.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ct/20051026/cr_ct/suitsiegfriedtauntstormentshumiliateshismagicianpartnerroy
"Siegfried was a tyrant and had loud, explosive outbursts at the plaintiff and at Roy," says the civil suit filed by Louis Mydlach, a former Siegfried & Roy insider.
"[Fischbacher] forced Roy to take medication, even when Roy begged to not be medicated," the suit claims.
Siegfried is also accused of refusing to hire competent medical workers to look after Horn's day-to-day needs, and painting a picture in the media of the "amazing physical rehabilitation of Roy" when those close to the star knew "it was all propaganda."
Mydlach says his role changed from that of security guard to caretaker, "in all the undignified matters concerning his debilitating condition ... including personal care cleaning, bathing and various bathroom duties."
Mydlach, who reportedly has no attorney, filed the suit himself on Oct. 11. He is seeking at least $10,000 in damages for emotional distress and wrongful discharge.
Horn, 61, was mauled on stage by one of his 380-pound white tigers during a "Siegfried & Roy" show at the Mirage in 2003. He is still in rehabilitation, he told the Las Vegas Sun earlier this month, and suffers partial paralysis after being attacked by Montecore, the white tiger he still visits, allegedly in ill-fitting clothes.
"[Fischbacher] declined to purchase new clothing for Roy, and Roy's clothing had to be pinned up to stay on because of his drastic loss of weight, causing him embarrassment and a loss of self-esteem," Mydlach's suit claims.
The bodyguard says he was on anti-depressants from the stress of having to watch as Horn "lay tormented" and "scared" of Fischbacher. He left his position last winter, and says he is still "haunted and distressed" by his concern for Horn.
During his tenure working at the pair's mansion, Mydlach claims he and Horn shared a secret code so that Horn could cue him whenever he needed to be removed from any uncomfortable situations.
He says that at Horn's request, he provided the magician with an emergency cellphone and a knife, "so that he could protect himself" from Siegfried whenever Mydlach was not there.
Shortly after his position ended, Mydlach says he received "dead air" phone calls from the emergency number he gave to Horn, but has been denied access to the property to check on his friend.
Mydlach, 34, met Siegfried and Roy as a child when they hired his father's company for security services. He says he has a "close and almost familial relationship," with Horn, but presumably not close enough to give him legal rights over Horn's care.
"As a non-family member," his suit states, "plaintiff believes that he has no standing to request that the courts grant him guardianship of Roy or to request that Roy be given an independent medical consultation."
Mydlach could not be reached for comment, but he told the Las Vegas Review Journal that he had photos, video and documentation to support his allegations.
Fischbacher's lawyer, John Moran Jr., issued a statement calling the allegations "totally false" and branding Mydlach "disgruntled."
"This complaint will be zealously defended against," Moran said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
