The sordid tale of paparazzi agency X17 continues this week with a lawsuit filed against it by photographer Alison Silva (the man pictured), who claims that on March 5, three X17 operatives beat the crap out of him after he managed to take the lead in chasing Britney Spears.

Silva is suing for unspecified damages on a whole list of charges, including battery, assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotion distress, negligence, negligent hiring, training, supervision, and retention of unfit employees. (See the court documents here; PDF.)

The photo evidence, his attorney says, speaks for itself.

The allegations, which surfaced on HollywoodBubble.com, detail the story: “Silva was severely beaten by three X17 paparazzi following a Britney Spears chase because he had the top spot behind her vehicle. Once the confrontation happened, we hear three paparazzi knocked him out and continued to kick him while on the ground, pressing his head against the asphalt, breaking his nose and causing head injuries. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. A police investigation is currently underway.”

“Three witnesses called 911, and Silva was taken by ambulance to the emergency room with a police escort, according to the police report,” says MTV. “One of the witnesses told police officers that he heard one of the attackers say, ‘Let’s go f— him up, there are 10 of us here,’ saw one of the attackers go get a metal tube from his car for that purpose, and heard another attacker say, ‘Don’t kill him! Don’t kill him!’, according to the report.”

Not that X17 owners Brandy (pictured) and François Navarre are too concerned over Silva’s well-being, or their own culpability in the assault. Since X17’s photographers are all freelancers, or independent contractors, the millionaire paparazzi twosome behind the agency believe themselves to be completely off the hook. They initially refused to comment to MTV on the matter, and then, when prompted about the police investigation, Brandy said, “I don’t think the suit against us will hold up.” Added François: “They give me their pictures but whatever they do on their own is their own business.” (The Navarres and their attorney John Tehranian have not responded to request for comment.)

And “their own business” could include knowingly breaking the law. In an interview with The Atlantic that the Navarres also participated in, one of X17’s paparazzi insisted, “To be a pap, you have to be ready to do anything, legal or illegal.”

Indeed. The three men accused are said to be turning themselves into police custody today.

If you’ve been reading our Britney Spears coverage, then today’s item in Page Six is of little surprise: Britney “calls the paparazzi before she goes out. We know 15 minutes before she leaves the house,” Brazilian paparazzo Alison Silva says. “It’s all staged.”

Silva, of course, is most famous for getting run over by Keanu Reaves’ black Porsche last year. (Silva ended up in the hospital. Reeves ended up handcuffed, investigated by the LAPD, and sued.)

But Britney’s collusion with the paparazzi has long been talked about inside the industry, as well as on this blog. Not only did her relationship with Finalpixxx’s Adnan Ghalib result in photos worth hundreds of thousands of dollars (which Spears likely saw none of), but she’s also said to be paid by pap agency X17.

And, just taking a guess, but Britney’s probably not the only one who’s got photogs on speed dial.