Actor Shia LaBeouf received a probation sentence after admitting to assaulting three individuals outside a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras. An Orleans Parish judge mandated LaBeouf to participate in an alcohol treatment program, as confirmed by the actor’s attorney, Sarah Chervinsky. LaBeouf, famous for his roles in “Transformers” (2007) and “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” (2008), was previously released on bail following the incident near the French Quarter.
Footage of the altercation on February 17 showed LaBeouf, shirtless, pushing one person to the ground outside a bar and striking another in the face, potentially causing a dislocated nose, according to a New Orleans police report. LaBeouf used homophobic language during the incident and his subsequent arrest. He pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery.
The sentence, handed down by Orleans Parish Judge Juana Marine-Lombard, included a six-month suspended sentence and a two-year probation term. LaBeouf is also required to maintain distance from the victims and the bar. Chervinsky stated that LaBeouf aimed to take responsibility for his actions, referring to the incident as a “minor Mardi Gras bar scuffle” without any indication of bias or prejudice.
Orleans Parish district attorney Jason Williams mentioned that consultation with the victims was crucial before offering LaBeouf the plea deal. One of the victims, Jeffrey Damnit (identified as Jeffrey Klein by the police), recounted being attacked by LaBeouf, who had previously pushed him at the bar, using homophobic slurs and making threats.
Following his February charges, LaBeouf was ordered to attend drug and alcohol rehabilitation. In an interview with journalist Andrew Callaghan, he denied having a drinking problem and attributed his behavior during Mardi Gras to anger and ego rather than alcohol. LaBeouf also made controversial remarks about his discomfort around gay individuals.
LaBeouf’s legal history includes a 2017 New York City arrest for assault and a subsequent arrest in Georgia for public drunkenness and other charges while filming “The Peanut Butter Falcon.” In 2020, he faced battery and theft charges in Los Angeles. Additionally, he was involved in a lawsuit with singer FKA Twigs, accusing him of physical and emotional abuse during their relationship, which was settled in July. Shia LaBeouf rose to fame as a child actor on the Disney Channel series “Even Stevens.”
