Jury Awards $140,000 to Ye's Ex-Contractor for Injuries

A Los Angeles jury has ordered Kanye West, now known as Ye, to pay $140,000 to former contractor Tony Saxon following a two-week trial over injuries sustained during renovations at Ye's Malibu mansion. The verdict, delivered on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, stemmed from Saxon's lawsuit filed in September 2023, in which he accused Ye of labor violations, unsafe working conditions and retaliation after a brief stint on the project in late 2021.

Saxon, who described himself as a handyman rather than a licensed contractor, sought $1.7 million in compensatory damages for a neck and back injury he claimed occurred while overseeing demolition and security at the oceanfront property. Jurors awarded him $100,000 for past and future medical expenses and $40,000 for past pain and suffering, but rejected claims for future pain and suffering, punitive damages, wrongful termination or any findings of malice, oppression or fraud by Ye. The decision also requires Ye to cover Saxon's attorney fees and court costs, which attorneys estimate could push the total liability above $1 million under California Labor Code provisions.

During the trial, Saxon testified that he worked seven weeks...