Hollywood has no shortage of celebs and where there are stars there is often trouble. From gang-bangers, to rock stars, to hall-of-fame athletes, to models these celebrities were all involved in incidents where someones life was taken. Thanks to very deep pockets and the top notch attorneys in Southern California these stars avoided very lengthy prison sentences.
Snoop Dogg
Born Calvin Broadus, Snoop Dogg is a legend in hip hop and pop culture. Snoop’s hip hop career exploded when he was signed with Death Row records alongside mentor and mega producer Dr. Dre. Snoop’s first album ‘Doggystyle’ is certified 4x platinum according to soundscan. The album has multiple singles that still get radio airplay including ‘Gin & Juice’, ‘Lodi Dodi’ and ‘Murder was the Case’.
In 1995 Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus) and bodyguard McKinley Lee were charged in the murder of Los Angeles crip Philip Woldemariam.. Mr. Woldemariam fellow crip Snoop and his bodyguard in Snoop’s 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee. During the confrontation Woldemariam was shot at least 2 times killing him. In January 2006 Snoop and his bodyguard McKinley Lee were found not guilty on the murder charges but the jury remained deadlocked on the manslaughter charge. Snoop would deal with this legal matters for almost 3 years after the initial not guilty verdict. Snoop and McKinley Lee were represented by Johnnie Cochran, Morrissey, David Kenner of the Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. law firm.
Jayson Williams
Jayson Williams was NBA (National Basketball Association) All-Star that began his career in 1990 after being drafted by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the draft. The 6’10″ power forward signed a free agent deal with the Philadelphia 76er’s for $86 millions. Three years after his retirement Williams was having a party at his Milford, NJ mansion when he accidentally shot his driver Costas “Gus” Christofi. Williams originally told authorities that Christofi had committed suicide but the investigation proved Christofi’s gunshot wound was not self inflicted.
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In January of 2010 Williams was convicted plead guilty to aggravated assault charges in a plea deal with the New Jersey District Attorney. The judge presiding gave Williams a 5 year sentence. While Williams did not avoid prison all together he is eligible for parole in 2012. Williams was represented by his attorney Billy Martin of Martin & Gitner PLLC as well as, Joseph Hayden, Leigh-Anne Mulrey, and Christopher Adams from Walder Hayden & Brogan.
Rebecca Gayheart
Rebecca Gayheart in an American telvision actress and former model. She was born in blue collar community Hazard, KY (the series Dukes of Hazzard got its name from this small Kentucky town) and moved to Pine Top, KY as a youth. According to Star Pulse Gayheart moved to NYC at age 15 finishing her education at New York’s Professional Children’s School, a prep school who’s student body are mostly working actors/actresses. Gayheart also attended acting school at the famed Lee Strasberg Institute.
In 1993 Gayheart landed a role as Hannah Mayberry on the daytime soap opera ‘Loving’. During her stint on daytime television Gayheart became the face of Noxzema in print as well as television. According to People Magazine, on June 13, 2001 Rebecca Gayheart was driving in Los Angeles, CA in a borrowed Jeep Grand Cherokee when she struck and killed Jorge Cruz Jr., a third grader that was crossing the street on his way home from school. On November 27, 2001 Gayheart plead no contest to vehicular manslaughter. She received a $2,800 fine, 750 hours of community service and 3 years probation with 1 year suspended license. Gayheart was represented by criminal defense attorney Harland Braun of Law Offices of Harold Brawn in Los Angeles.
Vince Neil
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Vincw Neil is an American singer/songwriter and former frontman of the rockband Mötley Crüe. Mötley Crüe was one of the most successful bands in the 1980′s beginning with their second album ‘Shout at the Devil’ which went platinum within 12 months of its release date. In 1984 Vince Neil and friend Nicholas ‘Razzle’ Dingley a drummer from the Finnish band Hanoi Rocks were at a Rendondo Beach, CA party celebrating Hanoi Rocks successful U.S. After hours of partying and indulging in spirits Neil and Dingley decided to go to a liquor store in Neil’s De Tomaso Pantera sports car. According to UltimateClassicRock.com, the two were riding down a windy Hollywood road when Neil lost control of the vehicle and hit an oncoming car. The online publication also sites Razzle was rushed to South Bay Hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The two occupants in the other vehicle were severely injured as well. Both victims suffered brain damage.
Neil was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter and DUI. His blood alcohol level at the time of the accident was .17 nearly twice the California legal limit at that time. According to the LA Times, in July 1985, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Edward Hinz, Jr. sentenced Neil to 30 days in jail (on the recommendation of Deputy Dist. Attorney. Roger Kelly) in which he served only 15. He was also put on probation for five years and required to do 200 hours of community service. Neil paid settlements of $2.6 million to the victims. Vince Neil’s attorney was Michael Nasatir a partner of Nasatir, Hirsch, Podberesky & Khero in Santa Monica, CA. According to the firms website Michael Nasatir J.D. was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Central District of California.
Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes was an American billionaire business magnate most commonly known for his inventions in aeronautical engineering and his production of Hollywood films such as ‘Hell’s Angels’ (1930) and ‘Scarface’ (1932) and Academy Award Winner ‘Two Arabian Knights’ (1928). Born in 1905 Hughes inherited his fathers successful family business Hughes Tool Company which specialized and held patents in commercial drilling equipment, specifically for the use of wildcatting. Hughes inherited his family fortune in 1924 at only 18 years of age. According to Hollywood Reporter, Hughes moved to Hollywood in 1926 where his uncle Rupert Hughes was already a successful screenwriter.
On July 11, 1936, Hughes was driving when he struck and killed pedestrian Gabriel Meyer. The details of the incident are conflicting; the hospital sites Hughes was sober at the time of the incident which contradicts an attending doctor who claims Mr. Hughes had been drinking alcohol. Howard Hughes was booked at the scene but released when attorney Neil McCarthy obtained “a writ of habeas corpus” for the producers release until the corner’s report. Howard Hughes attorney was Neil McCarthy, a Beverly Hills attorney who’s clients included Paramount Pictures, Ava Gardner and John Crawford.
Neil came from a legacy of attorneys, he was third generation according to his daughter Sharon Gless who is now the fourth generation entertainment lawyer in the family. At his time of Howard Hughes death in 1976 Hughes had a net worth of $1.5 billion. Today that figure is would be over $6.5 billion.
Tupac
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Tupac Shakur was an American rapper and actor that performed under the synonyms 2Pac and Makaveli. Shakur is widely regarded as one of the best MC’s of all time.
In 1993 Tupac Shakur was charged in the shooting of 2 off-duty police officers from an Atlanta, GA suburb. Shakur was charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault and was released on $55,000 bond. According to the NY Times, The two officers were released today from Grady Hospital here; one was wounded in the abdomen, the other was in the buttocks. After investigating Atlanta prosecutors determined they could not press charges against either parties due to lack of evidence. All charges against Tupac Shakur were dismissed.
Brandy
Brandy Norwood, musically known as “Brandy”, is an American Pop, R&B, Soul singer songwriter and actress. After exhibiting an aptitude for music at a very young age Brandy’s family enrolled her in the Hollywood High Performing Arts Center. In 1990 under the management of her parents Brandy signed with ARC (Atlantic Recording Corporation). In 1994 Brandy released her first album. The self titled album started slow but gained traction largely through music videos aired on MTV (Music Television) and BET (Black Entertainment Television). The debut album spent 89 weeks on the Billboard 200 and is certified 4x platinum.
In 1998 Brandy released her second album ‘Never Say Never’ which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. The album featured a duet with the singer Monica called ‘The Boy is Mine’ which was wildly popular and spent 13 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. The single was the best selling single of 1998 winning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo. ‘Never Say Never’ spent 28 weeks in top 20 and sold 16 million copies worldwide.
In December of 2006 Brandy was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles on the 405 Freeway. According to Police Brandy was going approximately 65mph and did not notice traffic had slowed down in front of her. The singer/actor rear-ended 38 year old Awatef Aboudihaj. The mother of 2 was rushed to L.A. Holy Cross Hospital but did not survive her injuries. Huffington Post reports Brandy was not charged in the incident. Brandy’s attorney Blair Berk stated that “after a more thorough and extensive investigation by authorities, the Los Angeles City Attorney has determined that Brandy Norwood should not be charged with any crime whatsoever relating to the accident back in 2006.” “Being involved in something that tragic… I couldn’t believe it,” Brandy told Oprah in an interview. Celebrity defense attorney Blair Berk of Tarlow & Berk, PC is a Harvard Law School Graduate that has represented some of the most biggest names in entertainment including Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan and Cameron Diaz just to name a few. Brandy Norwood has an estimated net worth of $60 million.
Ted Kennedy
Edward “Ted” Kennedy was a United States Senator representing the State of Massachusetts and a senior member of the Democratic Party. He served in office 47 years starting in November 1962 until his passing on August 25th, 2009.
He is the brother of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
According to
History.com on July 18, 1969 Senator Kennedy was driving home from a party on Chappaquiddick Island when he drove off a wooden bridge into a tide-swept pond.
As the Oldsmobile was swept with the rapid current Senator Kennedy escaped the sinking vehicle. Senator Kennedy’s passenger, 28 year old Mary Jo Kopechne did not escape. Kennedy dove in repeatedly to try to rescue Kopechne with no success.
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Bush Welch is the former First Lady of the United States and wife of former 43rd President George W. Bush. She was the 45th First Lady according to biography.com occupying the White House between 2001-2009. Born in 1946 First Lady Bush grew up in the small community of Midland, TX where her family owned a successful real estate company. In 1968 at the age of 22 Laura Bush graduated from Souther Methodist University in Dallas, TX with a bachelors degree in education. Laura Bush then taught 2nd grade for a few years before earning a Masters Degree at the University of Texas in Austin in Library Science.
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Laura Bush met and married George W. Bush in 1977. After George W. Bush successfully ran and won the Governorship of the state of TX. Laura Bush was a the First Lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000 when her husband then ran and successfully won the Presidency of the United States of America. In November of 1963 Laura Welch was reportedly driving a friend to a party when she ran a stop sign and side-swiped another vehicle. The driver of the other car was Laura’s classmate Michael Dutton Douglas a popular athlete at Robert E Lee High School, he died from his injuries. Former First Lady Bush was quoted as saying “I know this as an adult, and even more as a parent, it was crushing … for the family involved and for me as well.” George and Laura Bush have an estimated net worth of $20 million
Don King
Donald King (known as Don King) is perhaps one of the most well known boxing promoters in history. Born in Cleveland, OH in 1931, after graduating High School in 1949 Don King Enrolled in kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Don King’s time at Kent State was curtailed by his ambitions to make money. Shortly after enrolling at the university Don King dropped out to become a bookmaker. Ever the smooth talker and shroud business man Don King rose made a good living in the world of illegal gambling and like most illegal enterprises, success ultimately leads to admiration which leads to violence.
Don King has taken the life of 2 individuals. The first victim was Hillary Brown whom Don King , 23 at the time, shot in the back has Brown attempted to rob on of King’s gambling outfits. Authorities later determined that the shooting was justified and no charges were brought against King. 13 years later King was convicted of second degree murder for killing his associate Sam Garrett. Crime Library reports King kicked Garrett to death over a $600 dept. King’s original conviction was second-degree murder but the judge reduced the conviction to manslaughter. King served for years in state prison for the incident. Today Donald King is a very wealthy man with an estimated net worth of over $290 million.
Robert Blake
Robert Blake is an American actor best known for his roll in the detective television series ‘Baretta’. Blake began his career as a child actor in the series ‘Our Gang’
In 2002 Robert Blake was arrested for the murder of his estranged wife and certified gold-digger 44 year old Bonny Lee Bakley. In March of 2003 Blake was finally granted bail of $1.5 million and placed on house arrest during the trial. In October 2003 the trial judge dismissed the conspiracy charge; during an interview with CBS prosecuting attorney Shellie Samuels admitted they had no forensic evidence implicating Blake. On March 16, 2005 Robert Blake was found not guilty of the murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley. Robert Blake was represented by attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach from the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Schwartzbach has represented other celebrities such as the Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl running back Marshawn Lynch and Stephen Bingham who was on trial fro conspiracy to commit multiple murders in Marin County Superior Court in 1986.
Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius is a South African sprinter known for his amazing speed using prosthetics due to being a double amputee from the age of 11 months old. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Pistorius became the first leg amputee to compete in the men’s 400 meters and 4 x 400 meter relay events.
On February 13, 2013 Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home in Petoria, South Africa. Pistorius shot Steenkamp through the bathroom door of his home alleging that he mistaken her as in intruder.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel insists that Pistorius shot Steenkamp because she wanted to break up with track and field star. Pistorius defense attorney Barry Roux insists that the shooting was horrible accident.
On September 12, 2014 Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide and one firearm-related charge, of reckless endangerment related to discharging a firearm in a restaurant. On 21 October 2014, Pistorius received a prison sentence of a maximum of five years for culpable homicide and a concurrent three year suspended prison sentence for the separate reckless endangerment conviction
OJ Simpson
Also known as “The Juice”, Simpson is a retired Hall of Fame NFL football player. Simpson played his college football at the University of Southern California (USC) before being drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1969.
