TMZ has learned Richie Sambora just plea bargained his DUI case. He pled no contest to driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher. The driving under the influence charge was dismissed. And, prosecutors did NOT file child endangerment charges.
Sambora was popped for DUI last month. His 10-year-old daughter Ava was in the car at the time. We're told Sambora had a .13 blood alcohol level. Although the brass at the Laguna Beach Police Dept. recommended that prosecutors file child endangerment charges, we're told the rank and file cops felt the evidence didn't support the charge. Prosecutors agreed.
It's an interesting behind-the-scenes plea. Sambora got one of the most effective criminal defense lawyers in America on his side -- Blair Berk, who has repped scores of celebs, from Mel Gibson to Lindsay Lohan. The stars aligned in his favor, because prosecutor Dennis Conway is considered pretty fair and therefore didn't file child endangerment to get some PR. And Judge Craig Robison didn't do the whole "I'm so frickin' tough with celebrities" act.
Sambora will pay a $390 fine plus penalties -- total damage is around $1,600. He'll be placed on three years informal probation and must attend an alcohol education course. He cannot drink or do drugs during his probation.
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Just slip the judge and prosecutor some money under the table and all your troubles disappear!
Saw Richie in concert on April 15th. I hope he gets the help he needs for his drinking problem. I'm glad he was given a second chance and not put in jail, it would be ashame if the world was without his wonderful music. Bon Jovi rocks!!!
Richie might want to take a que from Foxy Brown and HIT his knees! One lucky sob................
Luck Bastid!
If it were ME... I'd get jail time, a LARGER fine, lose my drivers license, (which would jeopardize my job), probation, and the alcohol education course.
I guess the authorities are waiting for him to kill someone before they make an effort to serve justice. OK everyone - it's perfectly all right to drive drunk with your kid in the car. Print this article and wave it at the cops.
Lucy ~ That is exactly what they are saying and they say it on a daily basis in LA!
wow very lucky
hope he learns his lesson the first time
richie get the help you need use this conviction to clear all
dont do this ever again coz u will get jail time next time
xx
TMZ will never get over its pissing war with the judge in the Hilton case, and it is abusing its public influence trying to discredit the judge for self-serving reasons. So petty.
That judge in the Hilton case called it like it is. That judge was the lone voice of sanity in this celebrity-controlled above-the-law world. To hear TMZ tell it, celebs are getting ripped by the criminal justice system. Yeah, right. Celebs get away with murder and everything else on down.
Clearly in the Sambora case a deal was made that he'd plead no contest to DUI in exchange for no child endangerment charges. Everybody wins something and loses something, and the controversy is resolved.
Richie:
Your fans are happy for you! Having the $$$ and a great lawyer benefited you!
Congratulations! However, if you break probation during the next three yrears for booze or drugs
I hope they nail your butt! GET IT TOGETHER GOOFBALL, GROW UP!
YOU ARE LIVING ON A PRAYER!
He isn't getting off as easily as you think. He's on three years of probation which means he cannot drink AT ALL for the next 3 years, nor have any new criminal law violations whatsoever. If he does, the judge can impose any part of up to all of his 1 year suspended sentence.
That's what got Paris actual jail time - violating her probation (repeatedly).
Now think about it, who among you could go without a drink for 3 years being normal dweebs? Now imagine trying to do it with this guy's lifestyle. Wait and see if he can do it.
He didn't kill his child or anyone else. He got lucky and he better get sober quick.
