All posts containing the tag: "vandalism"
Posted Oct 23rd 2009 2:35PM by TMZ Staff
Kanye West got swift justice this AM -- thanks in part to TMZ -- and the judge in his LAX vandalism case said he'll dismiss all 3 misdemeanors against him after Kanye gets a dose of community service.
West's lawyer, Blair Berk, delivered a blistering attack on the paparazzi, scolding them for inciting celebs, going to churches for intrusive shots ... pretty much claiming they're responsible for all the wars in the world.
Berk says both Kanye and co-defendant Don Crowley (Kanye's manager) are "remorseful" for their conduct and have submitted to anger management counseling -- this, after breaking two cameras in a fit of anger at the airport.
Berk says this matter was "wildly overcharged" as a battery and vandalism case.
Deputy L.A. City Attorney Felton Newell disputed the notion the case was overcharged, claiming the defendants acted with "reckless disregard," adding the video shows "an intent to commit a felony."
Berk appeared without her client and noted that TMZ had settled its beef with Kanye because West paid for the camera he broke at LAX on Sept. 11, 2008. The judge agreed -- saying if TMZ didn't want to press charges, it didn't make a lot of sense to carry on with the case.
And speaking of Sept. 11th...the two lawyers got into a fight over whether the prosecutor was exploiting the date by saying it elevated the seriousness of the offense -- i.e., going nuts at a major airport.
In the end, the judge felt since the defendants enrolled in an anger management program, he said he'll dismiss the charges when they both serve 50 hours of community service. But he added Kanye's conduct was not acceptable.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Kanye West
Tags: battery, blair berk, BlairBerk, crime, don crowley, DonCrowley, kanye west, KanyeWest, lax, los angeles international airport, LosAngelesInternationalAirport, settlement, vandalism
Posted Oct 20th 2009 2:18PM by TMZ Staff
Richard Heene had a well-documented criminal history with a common thread -- going ballistic under pressure.
First of all, we've now found three criminal cases against Balloon Dad. In 1984, Heene was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon -- a gun -- and received three years probation.
In 1991, in San Bernardino, CA., Heene was arrested for corporal injury on a spouse. It appears he was not convicted.
Now get this ... we broke the story yesterday that in 1997 Heene pled no contest to vandalism and spent four days in jail. Wait 'til you hear what happened.
Heene, a contractor at the time, had an employee who didn't get paid. The employee went to Heene's home to get his $300 and an argument ensued.
We're told Heene got physical with the guy inside the house, the employee walked out and Heene gave him $140 of the $300 he owed. The employee, Benito Ortiz, was dissatisfied and the argument continued.
According to the arrest report, Heene got in his pickup truck, backed up and apparently tried to hit the dude. The employee got out of harm's way and Heene struck the employee's VW.
After hitting the VW, Heene pulled forward several feet, then put the vehicle back in reverse and collided again with Ortiz.
But wait, there's more. Heene did it a third time.
Finally, Heene parked, got out of his truck, picked up a wooden beam, held it over his head and screamed at Ortiz, "Get the f**k away."
Heene later told cops .... during the conflict Ortiz struck him, he became "incoherent" and didn't know what happened next.
In addition to four days in jail, Heene was sentenced to house arrest and ordered to pay $100 in restitution.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Exclusives, Balloon Boy
Tags: balloon boy, balloon dad, BalloonBoy, BalloonDad, charges, criminal, gun, jail, probation, rage, richard heene, RichardHeene, vandalism
Posted Oct 19th 2009 12:58PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned of more legal woes for Richard Heene. He has a criminal record in L.A. and was sentenced to jail.
Heene was arrested in April 1997 and charged with misdemeanor vandalism, vehicle tampering, and disturbing the peace. We do not know the name of the victim.
On April 15, 1997, Heene pled no contest to vandalism and the other charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 2 years probation and ordered to pay restitution of $100. It appears from the court record Heene served only 4 days and was then placed under house arrest.
The case was prosecuted by the L.A. City Attorney.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Balloon Boy
Tags: l.a. city attorney, L.a.CityAttorney, prosecution, richard hheene, RichardHheene, vandalism
Posted Sep 24th 2009 12:50AM by TMZ Staff
Kanye West is feeling the legal heat over his VMA rant ... because there was a quiet, clever move last week to keep his criminal case out of court until all the hubbub dies down.
Kanye is being prosecuted for breaking a paparazzi camera at LAX on September 11, 2008. The L.A. City Attorney has charged him with 3 misdemeanors -- vandalism, theft and battery.
We've learned last Friday, Kanye's lawyer, Blair Berk, went to the judge and won a delay -- a pre-trial hearing was set for this month but it's now pushed back until October 23 -- hopefully for Kanye, when attention deficit disorder sets in and the public moves on to another celebrity meltdown.
Here's the problem ... even the mighty Blair Berk can't stop Kanye. The question: Can she contain him?
Stay tuned...
Filed under: Kanye West, Exclusives
Tags: battery, blair berk, BlairBerk, break, camera, kanye west, KanyeWest, lax, theft, vandalism
Posted May 18th 2009 8:58PM by TMZ Staff
Kanye West pled not guilty to three criminal misdemeanors on Friday -- vandalism, battery and theft.
It's all over that incident at LAX last September 11. One of the casualties... a TMZ camera light.
Filed under: Kanye West
Tags: battery, Kayne West, KayneWest, plea, theft, vandalism
Posted May 16th 2009 3:15AM by TMZ Staff
One of Paris Hilton's neighbors hates her so much, he's willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars a month ... to get her out of his hood.
We've learned the neighbor (who we have been asked not to ID) has written a letter to the landlord of the place Paris and her BF Doug Reinhardt are living in -- offering to pay the landlord $5,000 a month more than he's getting now ... if he gives Paris and Doug the boot.
The neighbor says Hiltie is ruining his life. She's lived there a grand total of 5 days ... already cops have been called twice because of loud parties, screaming and yelling, and vandalism.
The house in the Hollywood Hills had been listed at $22,000 a month. So the neighbor is willing to give the landlord $27,000 a month if Paris goes away.
And get this ... we're told the neighbor complained to Doug yesterday about all the ruckus since Paris moved in. Doug said, "This is what you have to expect because Paris and I are public figures."
The cost of a Paris-free zone -- priceless.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paris Hilton
Tags: doug reinhardt, DougReinhardt, landlord, neighbor, noise complaints, NoiseComplaints, nosy neighbor, NosyNeighbor, paris and doug, Paris Hilton, ParisAndDoug, ParisHilton, vandalism
Posted May 13th 2009 9:44AM by TMZ Staff
Paris Hilton ain't gonna get an apple pie from her new neighbors ... after one of her late-night parties ended with a vandalism spree on her street.
It happened Monday in the Hollywood Hills, where Paris just moved in. She threw a huge "welcome me back" party that lasted until Tuesday, 4 AM. Neighbors called cops about the noise before the party broke up. Neighbors think they got paid back, because when they woke up a half-dozen expensive cars on the block had been keyed and egged. Among the cars vandalized -- two Bentleys, two Maseratis and a $1.4 million Bugatti Veyron.
Law enforcement sources say they're investigating the possibility some of the guests did the dirty deed. And we're told, Paris herself was interviewed yesterday -- though they don't think she's a culprit.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paris Hilton
Tags: crime, housewarming, neighbors, paris hilton, ParisHilton, party, vandalism
Posted Mar 20th 2007 11:22AM by TMZ Staff
One Paris Hilton fan is taking his or her admiration of the heiress to the streets ... actually, just one street just off Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. Nothing says "I love you" like vandalism.
The five-foot high love note was sprayed across the side of a building and reads, "Paris Hilton sucked Inver's c**k." TMZ isn't sure who this Inver guy is, nor are we aware of what inspired such a masterpiece.
But one can guess.
Filed under: Wacky & Weird, Paris Hilton
Tags: Graffiti, grafitti, los angeles, LosAngeles, love notes, LoveNotes, melrose ave, MelroseAve, Paris Hilton, ParisHilton, spray paint, SprayPaint, vandalism
