Lloyd Lake walked out on Tuesday before giving a scheduled deposition in connection with the lawsuit he filed against New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush.
The former sports marketing agent said he was intimidated that Bush's legal team had private security present, Bush's lawyer,
David Cornwell, told ESPN.
From the perspective of Lloyd Lake's attorney, Brian Watkins, they halted the deposition proceedings Tuesday after they saw a man who was with Cornwell flash a gun.
"He made sure we saw it," said Watkins.
Watkins told ESPN that Bush's attorneys refused to provide details about the man, such as a job description or a business card.
According to The Associated Press, Watkins said Cornwell told him the bodyguard had a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Watkins said the man also flashed the gun to Lake in the building's lobby before the deposition.
"It's outrageous that he shows up strapped for a deposition," Watkins said. "That's outrageous conduct in the lawyer world. Come on, we're lawyers. I don't threaten people, I sue them."
Watkins said they will seek a court order to have subsequent depositions involving Lake held at a courthouse.
"Bring the facts and leave the weapons at home," Watkins told ESPN.
Cornwell also reported details of his first meeting with Watkins. Watkins told Cornwell that Lake was a gang member and that if the Bush camp did not pay off Lake, he [Watkins] could not control him. Cornwell also said that Lake made two threats against Bush in December 2007. After discussing the threats with law enforcement and private security professionals, Bush's legal team was told to take precautions when in Lake's presence.
Lake is suing for breach of contract. He claims that when Bush was at the University of Southern California, he provided the player with cash, including $13,000 to buy a Chevrolet Impala, and that his business partner, Michael Michaels, provided Bush's parents with a home for which they did not pay rent.
Michaels and Lake's proposed agency, New Era Sports and Entertainment, went defunct after Bush selected Mike Ornstein as his sports marketer. Michaels reached a settlement with Bush last year.
Watkins said Bush is scheduled to give a deposition on Feb. 25.
"They know the day of reckoning is coming," Watkins said. "They are panicking. They're resorting to this."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.