Barkley Bar Fight Trial Opens In Ohio Court

Charles Barkley, sued for $500,000 over a bar fight, jumped past bouncers to repeatedly punch a man who was acting as a peacemaker during an argument about a woman, a lawyer said Monday in opening statements.

Earlier in the day, Barkley mouthed an expletive to the plaintiff, Jeb Tyler, before prospective jurors were led into the courtroom.

The scuffle happened last summer at The Basement nightclub when Barkley was in Cleveland with the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Barkley has told police he was the one who was attacked, and a defense lawyer said Olympic teammate Reggie Miller will testify that Tyler threw the first punch.

In a complaint amended Monday, the 24-year-old Tyler, of Spencerport, N.Y., is seeking $50,000 in compensatory damages from Barkley and the bar, and $500,000 in punitive damages from Barkley. The jury can award any amount it sees fit.