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
Come on, dude - I got a shot. I'm like, this close, man.
Didn't he used to be black? :-)
The "I've struggled all these yearsias an artist in order to be hosed and humilated by a b-list celeb" ping.
Wow. I love to see these pretentious asses taken down a few notches. :D
Texas dimmocrats are, thankfully, an endangered species. As I understand it MA is losing residents so the socialist utopia must not be all it was cracked up to be, eh?:-) I can only hope that MM and Howie the Screamer are front and center in the new Dimmo National Committe so that we may all watch their self destruction with great awe (and pleasure!) as they self implode...
It's like something out of a cartoon.
Excellent summary.
Oh, we're really in agreement. I'm praying they'll put Dean in charge. I suspect there will be even more southern Democrats say, "That's enough, already." It should make the Democratic Party a permanent minority party with a shrinking base.
What the heck kind of charge is that? Either they were disorderly or they weren't. How do you suspect someone of being disorderly? Sounds like one of those deals that allow LEO to harass someone if they care to. I couldn't care less about these jokers but I hate laws like that, and there are many. At anytime, anywhere, any of us could be arrested for breaking some weird and obscure law. Gives government too m uch power.
Not the area, but the invasion of the elitists, Liberals etc. After CommieFord (Redford) tried, with the help of his Satan buddies, to back door more control in the area, the state, (and the church) took notice. I expect Those Commies will gradually slink away into their holes, where they belong.
I agree and I am really damn disgusted with my hometown: Jackson, WY. Wyoming was an overwhelmingly red state except for one county. You guessed it, Teton County (where Jackon is). Jackson was infected by a bunch of rich California elitists who, because of their money and political influence, made it virtually impossible to live there unless you're independently wealthy. Jackson was a nice town to grow up in in the early '80s, now it's just a celebrity hangout where politicians go on vacation. It makes me sick. There's a huge caldera volcano under Yellowstone and I hope it blows up when there's a huge DemonRat/celebrity gala in town.
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