Fom murder charges to felony assault charges, an abundance of household names have faced major legal battles against them over the years. Some of the world's wealthiest and most influential people have a dark past that follows them way beyond the big screen and into the courtroom. Do these celebs get leniency with the law because of their superstar power? It seems that they do.
1. Bruno Mars - Possession of cocaine
Bruno Mars was arrested in 2010 after being busted on suspicion of possession of a “white powdery substance" believed to be cocaine. According to the report, Hard Rock Hotel security found Peter Hernandez (Bruno Mars) around 1:50 a.m with possession of 2.6 grams of cocaine on him. Any possession of cocaine in the state of Nevada is a felony. Fortunately for Peter Hernandez, he is now Bruno Mars with a lot of money and protection.
A Las Vegas judge erased the charge after confirming that Mars put in over 200 hours of community service, paid a $2,000 fine and successfully completed 8 hours of drug counseling. In many cases, people serve up to 20 years for possession. Of course, factors that could help their case include a good lawyer and enough money to pay them.
2. Mark Wahlberg - Attempted murder
Mark Wahlberg wasn't always America's big screen sweetheart. At fourteen, Wahlberg dropped out of school and joined a gang. According to police reports during this time, the actor had between 20-25 run-ins with the law and was addicted to cocaine.
In 1988, while trying to rob a convenience store, the actor attacked two Vietnamese men, punching one and hitting the other with a stick while yelling racial slurs. Wahlberg was arrested and charged with a felony for attempted murder. Wahlberg pled guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison. He only served 45 days.
Fast forward to 2014, the actor tried getting the charges erased off of his record, which prompted Vietnamese groups to scrutinize the actor for his attempt. Just two years later the actor dropped his request for a pardon and apologized for trying in the first place. It's very telling to see that someone who has a felony charge could get as many jobs as Mark Wahlberg has had in his career.
One of the biggest problems we have in this country is letting people who have served for their crimes become part of society once again. With a criminal record, you can no longer find a job, you don't have credit, money, shelter or many of the essentials you need to continue your life. If an average person had Wahlberg's charges on their record, they could face a lifetime of rejection when it comes to many jobs.
3. Khloe Kardashian - Driving under the influence
In 2007, Khloe Kardashian was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. She was required to enroll in an alcohol treatment program and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but she ended up only serving a grand total of 3 hours due to overcrowding at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California.
Interestingly enough, her arrest was captured in an episode of "Keeping up With The Kardashians" shooting the show's ratings through the roof. I guess you can turn lemons into lemonade, if you have enough cash.
4. Heather Locklear - Domestic violence, brawl with cops
When police tried to arrest her, she flipped out and attacked them. Locklear insulted and punched two police officers and kicked a male police officer in the groin. Locklear was charged with a felony count of domestic violence and three counts of misdemeanor battery on a police officer. She later posted bail for $20,000. About one hour later, her boyfriend was arrested and charged with a DUI. The case is still pending, but the actress could face up to five years in prison.
5. Amanda Bynes - Hit-and-run, reckless driving
In recent years, Amanda Bynes has made headlines for her public outbreaks and unusual rants on twitter. Bynes was charged with two hit and run cases in 2012. The first case happened in April and was initially dropped. However, Amanda got into another car accident in August 2012 and immediately fled the scene again without exchanging information with the other driver.
Both accounts of her hit and run were dropped after she reached financial agreements with the victims. Other convictions on her record include driving under the influence and marijuana possession.
6. Jay Z - Nightclub stabbing
In December 1999, Lance Rivera, a record executive, was stabbed by Jay-Z at Q-Tip's album release party at an exclusive club called the Kit Kat Klub in Manhattan. According to reports, Rivera was pounded with champagne bottles and stabbed in the stomach. The incident apparently arose from reports that Rivera had been involved with the alleged bootlegging of Jay-Z's upcoming album, Life and Times of S. Carter.
The rapper was facing up to 15 years in prison but with good lawyer advice, Jay pled guilty to a second-degree felony for assault and only served three years of probation. Imagine the outcome if he would've gotten 15 years in prison? Would he have ever met Beyonce?
7. Courtney Love - Felony assault, battery
The late widow of grunge rocker, Kurt Cobain has had her fair share of run-ins with the law. Her criminal record includes drug charges, assault charges in a nightclub and multiple criminal cases against her in California and New York. In September 2005, Love was being sued for assaulting a women sleeping on her ex-boyfriend's couch.
According to reports, Love allegedly yanked the victim by the hair and poured whiskey on her. In addition, Courtney Love threw a lit candle on her, backhanded her and left the victim with bruises and a chipped tooth. In February, Love pleaded to no contest to misdemeanor assault. She was sentenced to three years probation, $1000 fine, anger management, drug treatment and 100 hours of community service.
The United States is not a place that forgives people who break the law very easily, but it does seem like money, influence, and fame could put you at a better advantage than being regular folk. These aren't just the only times that people have gotten away with minimal sentences for some major infractions, there are more influential forces behind the scenes that slip through the cracks and if we are able to point them out, we should.
