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Aretha Franklin Statement On Son's Attack

Singer Aretha Franklin released a statement Thursday regarding the recent attack on her son:

I would like to address the gross inaccuracies that have been reported in the media recently regarding the attack on my son, Eddie, this past Monday night.

The media reported that my son was to have surgery the day following the incident on Tuesday as reported by my former publicist, GQ Media. When in fact, he underwent surgery immediately after arriving in the emergency room, as I told my publicist at 4 a.m. that morning.  His jaw was wired and he was treated for swelling and other injuries resulting from the attack.

Secondly, a representative from the Detroit Police Department gave the media the impression that my son was not being cooperative the following day when asked to provide them with a statement.  After observing my son on Tuesday, it was clear that he was unable to communicate with anyone after such a traumatic attack and with his jaw wired.  The officer probably would not have been able to give a statement if he had been attacked by three men the very next day, either and it was totally unreasonable to expect Eddie to do so as if he were not being cooperative.

Lastly, it has been reported that there was some confusion as to where the attack took place.  Eddie's girlfriend told me that the incident took place at a gas station located at Plymouth and Greenfield.  This information was not correct.  I spoke with an officer I know who knows the area very well.  He advised me that the gas station was at Plymouth and Burt.  His girlfriend also is the person who said there were cameras with film at Mary's #1 Grill and at the gas station where the attack took place.  After the officers from the Northwest Precinct investigated this, it was found that there was no outdoor footage in the cameras at either establishment as told by Eddie's girlfriend.

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