Every year we witness story after story of celebrities who have run-ins with the law. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Even with money, power and fame, people make bad choices and life can go wrong, very wrong. Here are the top five celebrity arrests of 2016 that made the 6 o’clock celebrity legal news:
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- Chris Brown. In August 2016 Chris Brown, no stranger to the legal system, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. He was released on $250,000 bail. Allegedly Chris pulled a gun on a woman who was a guest in his home. A search warrant was issued after the woman reported the incident to police. Guns and drugs were found in a duffle bag on Chris’ propery. The oddest aspect of this whole thing? While cops were surrounding his home awaiting word on the warrant, Chris posted some pretty colorful real time videos on Instagram detailing what was going on and his feelings about it. Those videos were quickly taken down. To date, the case is still open. And although Chris has certainly been culpable of wrongdoing in the past, not sure this one is going to lead to much more punishment for the singer as the facts are pretty murky.
- Abby Wambach. On April 3, 2016, the retired FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested for driving under the influence. Wambach had run a red light in Portland, Oregon, was pulled over and failed a field sobriety test. Oregon’s blood alcohol limit is .08 percent, and Wambach’s was .13 percent. She plead guilty to driving under the influence. As part of her punishment, the judge ordered Wambach to install a breathalyzer in her vehicle and attend a drug and alcohol treatment program. Wambach has since made a public apology and it’s apparent she is deeply ashamed and upset about the entire incident. But, if Wambach enrolls in a diversion program for first-time offenders, the charges could be dismissed within a year.
- Mark Salling. Former Glee actor, known for his role as Puck on that show, was indicted in May 2016 on child pornography charges stemming from his December 2015 arrest. That was when investigators seized a laptop, hard drive and USB flash drive on which thousands of images and videos depicting child pornography appeared. Salling plead not guilty, was released on $150,000 bail, but had to give up his passport, has to wear an electronic bracelet, submit to drug testing, and stay 100 feet away from schools, parks, arcades and other places where children might congregate. Suffice it to say, Mark Salling, who has already been dropped from a role in a miniseries, will feel the effects of his actions for a very, very long time.
- Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. This is kind of a fun one as far as arrests go and maybe they’re not celebrities in the purest sense but they are pretty beloved and have brought happiness to many so I think they make sense on this list. Indulge me seem like the right phrase to use when talking about these ice cream moguls! On April 18, 2016, the two 65-year-olds were arrested on the steps of the United States Capitol along with around 300 others who took part in a Democracy Awakening protest. Cohen and Greenfield were charged with unlawful demonstration activities, including crowding and obstructing. They paid a fine but that’s where it ends. No jail time for these ice cream men.
- Johnny Manziel. On April 24, 2016 the 23-year-old bad boy former NFL player was indicted for domestic violence resulting from a January assault of his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley. She reported that after the two left a Dallas bar, Manziel pulled her by the hair, forced her into a vehicle, and threatened to kill her. Crowley has apparently suffered permanent injury to her eardrum from the assault. If found guilty, Manziel could face jail time as well as pay a fine and be ordered to attend anger management classes. A civil suit might also be on the horizon. Manziel doesn’t seem to have learned much from his arrest as he is regularly in the news for bad behavior. This may likely be due to his admitted to drug and alcohol problems but not sure that’s enough of an excuse to save him on Crowley’s claims. What we do know for sure? Manziel’s NFL days are long over.
