Sean Penn was charged with criminal battery and vandalism today, in connection with a run-in with the paparazzi ... TMZ has learned.
The incident occurred last October in Brentwood, CA. TMZ captured the confrontation as an angry Penn approached and kicked a paparazzo, allegedly breaking his camera.
We've learned the Los Angeles City Attorney filed two misdemeanor counts -- battery and vandalism.
If convicted on both counts, Penn could go to jail for 1 1/2 years.
Penn's rep could not immediately be reached for comment.
Celebrity Justice2/19/2010 8:30 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF
Sean Penn Charged With Crimes
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Reader Comments
(Page 1 of 12) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments1.
You paps are out of control. You need to be beat down as often as possible. Sean Penn is my new hero.
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2.
They killed Princess Diana and got by with it, they scored big bucks for the first picture of Michael Jackson as a corpse after the press slowly killed him on the installment plan, they shoved Debbie Rowe and then sued her when she retaliated, they harrassed Elin Nordegren with embarassing questions in the presence of her children. What Sean Penn did is nothing compared to what they deserve. These people are low lifes and have no redeeming value to us as far as I'm concerned.
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3.
They should throw his ugly old ass in jail for a while, since he can't control his anger, STILL. In the big house, he's get a "madonna" made out of him, and then he'll learn to mellow out.
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4.
I selpt with John Edwards, too!!!!!:
Someone please beat this loser's ass!!! Sean Penn is a douchebag and a crappy actor that has only "won" awards because he's an anti-American nutcase. His best performance was "I Am Sam," where he basically just played himself.
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5.
You only see 34 sec of video as Penn is going after the guy...what happened before that?...what did the pap do to piss Penn off?...Penn only focuses on him!!!...while there are other paps around as well!!....... Battery?.....kicking a guy when your holding onto your lunch...give me a break...these paps will run their mouth and stick their chin out far enough to take a light tap....then you read..the pap is in critical care and seeking unspecified damages!...oh my god!...he may never walk again!!.... GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
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6.
It's about time this A-hole gets punished for his irrational actions. He has always had an anger issue (just ask Madonna) and needs to be held accountable.
Do you know how many celebrities handle the paps with a sense of humour and don't let them get to them? They are actually NICE to the paps and in return, they are nice to them.
Think Heather Locklear, Sly Stallone, Hugh Jackman - just to name a few.
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7.
Kicking? Isn't that a sissy thing? Maybe he thought that he could get away with that rather then using his hands? These Paps need a good ass kicking for taunting and their invasive tactics. Sean, stay out of sight next time.
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8.
TEAM CELEBRITY (Sean or another)
Paparazzi goes too far. Celebrities are entitled to their privacy. Michael Jackson, Princes Diana, etc
LEAVE THEM ALONE OR GET YOUR A$$ WHOPPED< YOU DON"T HAVE MY SYMPATHY
Ainât the pictures enough
Why do you go through so much
To get the stories you need
So you can bury me
You got the people confused
You tell the stories you choose
You try to get me to lose
The man I really am
You keep on STALKING ME
INVADING MY PRIVACY
Wonât you just let me be
Cos you cameras canât control
The minds of those who know
That youâll even sell your soul
Just to get your story sold
Some of you still wonder why
One of my friends had to DIE
To get the message across
That yet you havenât heard
My friend was chased and confused
Like many others I knew
But on that cold winter night
My pride was snatched away
She get no second chance
She ridiculed and harassed
Please tell my why
Now thereâs a lesson to learn
Respects not given itâs earned
Stop maliciously attacking my integrity
I need my privacy
I need my privacy
So paparazzi (
Just get away from me
If you wanna stalk someone, paparazzi, stalk Lady Gaga
She wrote a love song for you all :D
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9.
Hey, Michael Jackson didn't write that. Michael is dead, you can't fool us cause we saw pics of ole dead mike.
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11.
everyone knows this guy hates the paps. to go there in his face they know what might or will happen. he's right there saying, "leave me alone" he's got a temper, what do these people think the outcome will be? a Q and A session? hey, we all know our boundries, some people try to test it. bad choice on the camera mans part
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12.
Oh please. All you people who are behind Sean A-hole Penn? Give me a break. Paps or no paps, there is NO excuse to resort to violence. And he has a long record of it. Not just with the paps - with his wives as well. In fact, he probably would even kick the crap out of his own best friends.
This woman beater needs the crap kicked out of him. I wish I was a man - I'd be more than happy to.
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13.
If I had done that, my a** would be in the County Jail instead of enjoying this time with TMZ. Celebrities ALWAYS get some kind of pass that the rest of us never will. Lock him up. Just for being an idiot if not for anything else.
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14.
Why is it okay for the paparazzi to taunt, harass and needle the celebrities, and then when they respond in a way that personally affects a paparazzi, they run to the law for help? In all other situations, what the paparazzi do to individual celebrities would be considered stalking and, as such, punishable under the law. It's time the District Attorney's office started looking out for the victims instead of always protecting the perpetrators!
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