NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Actor Shia LaBeouf was sentenced to probation on Wednesday after pleading guilty to assaulting three individuals outside a bar during Mardi Gras festivities. The sentence, handed down by an Orleans Parish judge, requires LaBeouf to participate in an alcohol treatment program, according to Sarah Chervinsky, the actor's attorney.
Details of the Incident
LaBeouf, best known for his roles in the 2007 film Transformers and the 2008 movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, had been released on bail after his arrest near the historic French Quarter. Video footage from the February 17 encounter shows a shirtless LaBeouf outside a bar shoving one person to the ground and striking another in the face, causing what a New Orleans police report described as a possible dislocation of the nose. Police also reported that LaBeouf repeatedly used homophobic slurs during the incident, including at the time of his arrest.
Legal Proceedings
LaBeouf pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery. Orleans Parish Judge Juana Marine-Lombard imposed a six-month suspended sentence and two years of probation. Additionally, LaBeouf must stay away from the victims and the bar where the altercation occurred. Chervinsky stated that LaBeouf wanted "to take accountability for his part in what happened," describing the event as a "minor Mardi Gras bar tussle." She emphasized that there was "no evidence it was about bias or prejudice."
Prosecution and Victim Statements
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams noted in a statement that his office consulted with the victims to ensure their support before offering LaBeouf the plea deal. Jeffrey Damnit, a local entertainer identified as Jeffrey Klein by police, said he was one of the individuals attacked by LaBeouf. He claimed LaBeouf had pushed him from behind earlier in the night while shouting homophobic slurs and threatening his life. Damnit's attorney, Michael Kennedy, expressed hope that LaBeouf's behavior would improve after undergoing substance abuse treatment. "In New Orleans we are all equal, we should all feel safe, and we don't treat people different based upon relative fame," Kennedy said.
Background and Previous Incidents
Following the charges in February, a judge ordered LaBeouf to return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. However, days later, LaBeouf denied having a "drinking problem" in an interview with journalist Andrew Callaghan, expressing doubt that rehab would help him. He attributed his aggressive behavior during Mardi Gras to "anger and ego" rather than alcohol. LaBeouf also made controversial remarks, stating, "big gay people are scary to me" and adding, "When I'm standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me touching my leg, I get scared. I'm sorry. If that's homophobic, then I'm that."
LaBeouf, who converted to Catholicism a few years ago, has a history of legal troubles. In 2017, he was arrested in New York City on suspicion of assault during a livestream. Later that year, while filming The Peanut Butter Falcon in Georgia, he was arrested for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and obstruction, resulting in probation. In 2020, he faced misdemeanor battery and petty theft charges in Los Angeles. That same year, singer and actor FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit alleging physical and emotional abuse during their relationship, which was settled in July.
LaBeouf first gained acclaim as a child actor on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens.
