Legal Matters

There have been a number of celebrity arrests lately...in fact, two just today!

Hugh Grant was arrested for attacking a paparrazzi with a can of baked beans, and Eve was arrested on suspicion of DUI after she crashed her Masarati.

In addition, a court in India issued an arrest warrant for Richard Gere for this little stunt with Shilpa Shetty. It'll be interesting to see where that goes!

What a tabloid GOLDMINE!

Is it just me, or do celebrities automatically assume that they can get away with murder (quite literally, in some cases), and at the very worse be slapped on the wrist and given fines and probation charges, or maybe a little bit of community service?

Here's a list of other celebs who have gotten DUI or possession charges and basically gotten off scott-free: Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton (who has been seen driving on a suspended liscence after getting 2 separate charges brought against her!), Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, Pete Doherty, Robert Downey Jr., Ryan O'Neal, Boy George, Mike Tyson, Jeff Timmons, Mel Gibson, the list goes on...

I think DUI charges should be stricter in general, even for first time offenders, but these people who party hard every night of the week get special treatment because it's not a major offense!

Then there are those with violence issues. That Jason kid from Laguna Beach & The Hills can't seem to get it together. He hits police officers! Who does that?! Then there's poor Snoop, who has already been mentioned once in this post. And that Blues Traveler guy was arrested with a car full of firearms! Also, Hugh Grant's little stint (not to mention his run in with a prostitute a while ago), Naomi Campbell, Denise Richards...these people get community service and are bound to cause a second offense (*ahem* Naomi Campbell).

Then, Joe Francis (creator of Girls Gone Wild) is apparently getting out of jail soon on his first guilty charge...only to go BACK on trial for failing to file $200 million in taxes! Hey, at least he's getting some jail time!

Do I need to continue? Was Kobe Bryant found innocent of raping that woman? If not, how did he get off scott free? Then there's Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson...who knows if their celebrity status and high profile cases played a role in their verdicts. And now there's Phil Spector, who was quoted as saying, "I think I killed someone," is pleading not-guilty to charges of murder.

Do celebrities get off too easy? Do they pay their way out of sticky situations? Are they treated too harshly? Are they not able to get away with as much because they are constantly under the watchful eye of the media and being scrutinized by the public? How much of all this is a result of their own actions, and how much can paparazzi, the media, and the general public interest be blamed for their actions or behavior?