Sean Penn charged with battery in L.A. attack on photographer [Updated]

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn was charged Friday with battery and vandalism for allegedly attacking a photographer and breaking his camera outside Brentwood Country Mart in October, officials said.

Penn faces up to 18 months in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor charges of battery and vandalism stemming from the Oct. 2 run-in with a photographer.

The charges were filed by the L.A. city attorney's office. The incident was captured on video and broadcast on TMZ, the celebrity website.

"We are alleging he kicked a photographer and and we are also accusing him of breaking the photographer's camera," said Frank Mateljan, a city attorney spokesman.

Penn will be arraigned March 22 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

[Updated at 11:35 a.m.: The 49-year-old actor, who won best actor Oscars for "Milk" and "Mystic River," was known in his younger days for his clashes with the paparazzi. In 1987, he was sentenced to 60 days in jail for punching a movie extra on the set of the police drama "Colors." He was on probation at the time for punching a songwriter at a Silver Lake nightclub because he thought the man had kissed his wife, Madonna.

During the "Colors"incident, Penn pummeled the movie extra during a break in filming. In 1985, Penn received a suspended sentence after pleading no contest to charges he had attacked two British journalists who tried to photograph Madonna outside a Nashville hotel.]

--Richard Winton

Photo: Sean Penn at Academy Awards. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[James Sullivan]

Someday, someone will explain to me why millionaire celebrities that don't like the paparazzi don't have their groceries delivered. I'm not a millionaire or a celebrity and I can afford to have Vons deliver my groceries to my front door.

[effen_what]

stay out of there face and stars wont mess with you. Photographers think they can just bogard people, well just like the incident with Kanye West they cant. Thats why they make long lenses ladies and gentlemen. Use your 100-200mm on a monopod instead of your 25mm macro

[Mike]

Three strikes anyone?

[Ted]

I'm not really a fan of Penn, but in this case, if he did any serious damage to a member of the paparazzi, I applaud him. =)

[David R]

No doubt should spend all 18 months in prison if guilty. If I did this, no doubt I would. I don't clamor for fairness, but in cases involving repeat offenders and violent crimes against others, consequences must be imposed for the benefit of all involved, including the community and Mr. Penn.

[sdafgg]

jail him

[Ariel Sharon]

this arrogant POS should be in prison.

[TheLastBrainLeft]

Sean Penn is a great actor, but in every other endeavor in his life, he's a pathetic loser. Especially politics.

[KH]

I can only imagine what it is like to have the photographers tracking you anywhere and everywhere to get that picture that you know is turned into something else and given a crappy made up story and then thrown onto the covers of some sleezy tabloid. Celebrities are not public figures that we elect into office to serve us. They are not accountable to us. And, unfortunately, they don't get to step out of the spotlight at the end of their term. They should have their privacy and if other people can't respect that then sometimes the paparazzi should get what they get...right in the nose.

[Don Thompson]

..... people who annoy you....

[chron]

how would you like to be followed 24/7 by that vermin? i'd likely bite back after awhile too. sad.

[David Dicicco]

Sean needs limits.

[ray]

He needs to do the time, just because he's an actor don't give him a free pass to assault people. Some day he won't be so lucky if he attacks the wrong person.

[Itchy Brother]

Sean Penn credited as hero in his fearless attack on shameless societal parasite.

[Eve]

I wish he'd CLOCKED him!
The paparazzi continually ask for it...someday one of them is going to end up dead.

[kgoddess]

Paparazzi are a nuisance & a menace. I've had one push ne out of his way as I was coming out of a store. Claim self-defense Sean.