Shia LaBeouf has reportedly been sentenced to probation and alcohol rehabilitation after admitting to a bar assault in New Orleans. The actor pleaded guilty to misdemeanour battery on Wednesday. This effectively closes a case that began with his arrest during Mardi Gras celebrations in February.
Reports say Shia LaBeouf has been sentenced to probation and rehab after a guilty plea
A judge ordered Shia LaBeouf to serve two years of probation, complete substance abuse treatment, and attend sensitivity training along with anger management classes. If LaBeouf breaches these terms, he will spend six months in a New Orleans jail, according to the district attorney’s office.
The plea deal follows an incident at the R Bar in the Marigny neighbourhood on February 17. Police statements filed in court said LaBeouf punched two men and head-butted a third at about 12:45 a.m. after bar staff told him to leave. He had become increasingly aggressive and shouted homophobic slurs at the men, officers alleged.
The Lawless star was taken to hospital after his arrest and later briefly jailed before posting a $105,000 bond. A judge had already ordered him to enrol in substance abuse treatment at that stage.
One of the victims, Jeffrey Damnit, recorded a video showing LaBeouf directing a homophobic insult at him outside the bar. Damnit had previously urged prosecutors to charge the actor under Louisiana’s hate crime laws. It allows for tougher penalties when victims are targeted because of their perceived sex or gender. Another alleged victim, Nathan Thomas Reed, identifies as queer.
District Attorney Jason Williams reportedly said his office consulted all three victims before finalising the agreement, and each one supported the outcome. “The agreement creates meaningful legal consequences and enforceable conditions moving forward,” Williams stated. “If those conditions are violated, there are real penalties attached.”
LaBeouf’s lawyer, Sarah Chervinsky, said the authorities’ investigation had determined the episode amounted to “nothing more than a minor bar tussle.” She rejected suggestions of bias and said her client had attended court. Chervinsky added that LaBeouf is now “looking forward to focusing on family, work and new creative projects.”
(Source: The Guardian)
