Celeb Photographer Marc Baptiste Accused of Violently Assaulting Model
According to a new court filing obtained by The Daily Beast, former model Alwantha Lawson is alleging that celebrity photographer Marc Baptiste, known for the debut album covers of artists like Aaliyah, Erykah Badu, and The Fugees, “violently” sexually assaulted her during a photo shoot in 2002.
Lawson was a 22-year-old “young,” “hopeful” model when she met Baptiste and was offered to take photos with the successful photographer for his upcoming book Intimate: Nudes by Marc Baptiste, the filing says. Lawson alleges that when she arrived to Baptiste's studio, he told her to undress completely before locking the door. She says in the filing that she was “assured” they wouldn't be alone during the nude shoot, but that was not the case.
Once she had undressed, Lawson alleges that Baptiste tried to “force Lawson to masturbate ‘for the camera.’” When Lawson refused, she alleges that Baptiste grew frustrated, saying “I’m not going to shoot until you cum. Make yourself cum.”