Posted on 01/29/2005 8:22:25 AM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
After the Sundance debut of David LaChapelle's first full-length feature film drew enthusiasm from both an audience and distributors, LaChapelle spent a few hours celebrating with friends - then spent the night in jail.
The famed New York fashion photographer and filmmaker was arrested while trying to leave a Park City nightclub in the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 22.
The incident is an embarrassment to Utah and Park City, asserts LaChapelle's attorney, Jim Bradshaw, who claims Summit County sheriff's deputies acted inappropriately.
"This is a problem, because it raises concerns for people to be able to come [to Utah] and have a good time without being mistreated," Bradshaw said.
While LaChapelle celebrated inside the club Harry O's with actresses Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson, a crowd gathered outside, eager to catch a glimpse of the celebrities. The growing crowd prompted the group to send for a car and ask for security assistance as they left. Park City police and Summit County Sheriff's deputies arrived for crowd control.
After the group exited the building, LaChapelle and friend John Byrne were separated from Hilton and Anderson, Bradshaw said. The women were escorted to the waiting vehicle while the men were thrust back into the crowd.
Officers did not listen to LaChapelle's plea to let him join the group in the car, Bradshaw said. "Eyewitnesses consistently say that David was just trying to get into the car with the others and officers were absolutely unwilling to listen to him," said Bradshaw.
Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds maintains his deputies acted appropriately.
"During the exchange, Mr. LaChapelle became verbally and physically abusive. My deputy developed enough probable cause to make an arrest," Edmunds said.
LaChapelle and Byrne were booked into the Summit County jail on suspicion of disorderly conduct. The incident is still being reviewed for possible charges by the Summit County attorney's office.
"If Mr. LaChapelle believes he's innocent of these charges then he needs to move forward and have his day in court," Edmunds said.
Bradshaw said he has little doubt LaChapelle and Byrne became upset during the confrontation, but says neither touched an officer. "Neither John or David did anything wrong to warrant arrest and detention," Bradshaw said.
mwestley@sltrib.com
This is too funny. Notice that Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson didn't care in the slightest that they were separated from these two guys, if they were ever with them. The girls were perfectly happy to get in the car and drive off without them (an assumption on my part, for sure, but I'm not seeing a press release from either of them defending Byrne and LaChapelle).
Actresses????
You mean they called a cop a bad name.
Yep. Pam Anderson is eye candy and I don't know what the hell Paris is supposed to be. She has zero talent. She's supposedly beautiful and a model. Sorry, I woman with the body of an 11 year old boy has no appeal to me. She and Callista Flockhart can go eat sushi and throw up together. I'm betting they're both on the vodka & cocaine diet.
Don't judge until you've seen all their parts.
"This is a problem, because it raises concerns for people to be able to come [to Utah] and have a good time without being mistreated," Bradshaw said.
Yeah, after reading this story I immediately canceled my travel plans to Utah out of fear this would happen to me as soon as I crossed the state line. </sarcasm>.
"DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM???!!!"
No, Mr. LaChapelle, we don't.
I like Utah. It was one of the completely red states...:-)
Paris and Pamela had no problem driving off without him, I'm betting that's why he was so pissed off to begin with. They were probably thinking, "Go home already, loser. The evening is over and you had your 15 minutes in the sun."
No doubt, I'm planning to move out of Utah right now because of this incident. I am also going to write a letter of apology to LaChapelle on behalf of Utah and ask the governor to drop the charges. /sarc
Utah is the reddest of the red states.
" You mean they called a cop a bad name."
That's assault in most states. Now, if a cop curses you and your granny it's ok.
Even more so than my Native Texas. I sure would like to see all Texas counties vote red in the next election.
I remember a "T" shirt in Jackson Wyoming.... "Eat Drink and be merry for tomorrow you'll be in Utah."
I'v come to like the raw beauty of the state and the thought of Paris Hilton being there is revolting.
Oh...some white guy with a similar name. Never heard of him.
Agreed, and FoxNews running a story about her every 10 minutes hasn't helped my opinion one bit. I do not understand the fetish that people have with her. She's total garbage as far as I'm concerned.
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