Elephant Man—
Christopher Townsend, the attorney for entertainer O’Neil ‘Elephant Man’ Bryan, has questioned the authenticity of a video that shows show the entertainer handling what appears to be a gun.
“First and foremost, things that appear in social media does not necessarily mean that it is as it appears. It could be photoshopped, spliced and all kinds of things can happen,” Townsend told THE STAR yesterday.
The police launched a probe on Saturday after the video began making the rounds on social media. The clip shows a scantily-clad woman playing with an object, resembling a firearm, before handing it to the entertainer.
However, Townsend said the video, cannot be taken at face value.
The Firearm Licensing Authority, the entity which regulates the licences of firearm holders on the island, said that the entertainer is not the holder of a gun licence.
The lawyer, however, said the FLA has been loose with its language, insisting that the use of the word gun was inappropriate.
“I am concerned they are calling it a firearm. Certain qualifications bar a firearm to be a firearm. A photograph of a firearm, doesn’t qualify as a firearm,” Townsend told THE STAR.
Meanwhile, the police say they have been trying to locate Elephant Man to question him about the video. In a release from the Corporate Communications Unit yesterday, the police said that checks were made at the locations with which the entertainer is associated. However, he was not found.
“The female depicted in the video is also being sought as a person of interest in the investigation,” the police said.
Townsend said that he has not received any requests from the police for Elephant Man to turn himself in.
“Quiet frankly, I haven’t heard of any request. I am his attorney. If it is that they require him, please feel free to contact me if they so desire,” he said.
“I do represent him. The matter is being investigated, and so I can’t say much,” Townsend added, noting that he has been in constant dialogue with his client.
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