Young Chiefs fan accused of blackface sues Deadspin writer with defamation lawsuit as controversy bubbles over

Nine-year-old Chiefs fan Holden Armenta was placed at the center of a controversy when he wore a headdress with black and red face paint. Carron J. Phillips, a writer for Deadspin, went after the kid for displaying racist behavior with his attire.

Now, it seems that his parents are seeking legal action against Phillips over his accusations. They are suing Carron J. Phillips with defamation for causing irreversible damage to the young kid.

Shannon and Raul Armenta, Holden’s parents, shared in a letter obtained by Newsmax possible litigation against both Phillips and Deadspin:

“These Articles, posts on X, and photos about Holden and his parents must be retracted immediately. It is not enough to quietly remove a tweet from X or disable the article from Deadspin’s website. You must publish your retractions and issue an apology to my clients with the same prominence and fanfare with which you defamed them."

When the image was shown of Holden, Phillips wrote a contentious piece about the young boy's actions:

“It takes a lot to disrespect two groups of people at once. But on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, a Kansas City Chiefs fan found a way to hate black people and the native americans at the same time...Despite their age, who taught that person that what they were wearing was appropriate?”

The image of Holden was taken in Week 12 when the Kansas City Chiefs faced the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. He was shown on a CBS broadcast on a national stage and even videoed doing the “tomahawk chop” with fans attending the AFC West matchup.

---

What is the heritage of the young Chiefs fan amid the controversy?

Shannon Armenta took to her Facebook page to address the criticism her son had gotten, revealing her son is Native American. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians tribal chairman, Kenneth Khan, later penned a letter surrounding Holden's attire at the game:

"We are aware that a young member of our community attended a Kansas City Chiefs game in a headdress and face paint in his way of supporting his favorite team. As a federally recognized tribe, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians does not endorse wearing regalia as part of a costume or participating in any other type of cultural appropriation."

It was also revealed that Holden's grandfather sits on the committee of the tribe. The Chiefs franchise have banned the wearing of Native American headwear at Arrowhead Stadium since 2020.