Three Noteworthy Celebrity Violent Crime Cases

Everyone, including celebrities, can end up in criminal trouble— even if they are not a criminal. That’s just how the system works, so it’s always good to learn more and figure out what to do if you’re in trouble. Here are three noteworthy celebrity violent crime cases.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is arguably one of the greatest boxers of all time. In his prime, his footwork and defensive ability were unparalleled and a boxing fan can count on one hand the amount of instances that Mayweather was ever struck, let alone hurt. But Mayweather has had his fair share of violent crime charges. Back in 2002 and 2004, he received domestic violence and assault charges for allegedly hitting women at some nightclubs. And worse still, he received a third domestic violence charge in 2011.

 

If you remember our section on sentencing, you might be wondering, “Why didn’t Mayweather get at least six to twelve months in prison? If he was charged in Ohio, wouldn’t he have served some hard time?” Well, it turns out Floyd isn’t the only one with crafty footwork and defensive skills—his attorneys were quite evasive on his behalf. They arranged a plea deal with the prosecution and effectively argued that Mr. Mayweather couldn’t serve time in jail because he was preparing for a fight and needed access to his gym and quality nutrition. Essentially, his attorneys saved him from facing a felony charge and even got his sentence down to a mere 90 days in jail. Not bad, considering he could have been locked away for years. 

In 1987, Matthew Broderick, star of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, was enjoying a drive in the scenic Northern Irish countryside. When a local police officer flagged him down to suggest that he take an alternate route, he ignored him and persisted down the now-slick country road, as it began to rain. Possibly not used to the Irish requirement to drive on the left side of the street, Broderick turned around a corner and struck a Volvo head-on. Both passengers were killed instantly. Initially, he was charged with a charge equivalent to vehicular manslaughter and faced five years in prison. However, his attorneys managed to knock the charges down to “careless driving,” which only cost him $175. Well, the attorneys successfully argued that due to a lack of evidence, nothing suggested that Broderick was behaving negligently. Instead, he might have been careless, hence the careless driving charge. 

In 1995, the state of California charged Snoop Dogg with complicity to murder. In the summer of 1993, Snoop was engaged in a conflict with some individuals who belonged to a rival gang from Snoop’s days before he became a successful rapper. A few hours after a heated argument with “Little Smooth” outside of Snoop’s apartment, he found Smooth and his friend sitting in a park outside of their apartment. Snoop, enraged, drove his Jeep right up to them while they were eating and abruptly stopped it right in their faces. Snoop’s bodyguard, Malik, was also in the car.

 

Immediately, the gang members started yelling and arguing with Snoop. What happened next varies, depending on who you ask. According to Smooth’s friend, Malik proceeded to pull out a .38 and fired several shots, killing Smooth. But according to Malik and Snoop, Smooth was the first to draw a gun, prompting their later defense of using deadly force in self-defense. Regardless, Snoop drove away hastily before anymore violence could take place.

Snoop and Malik’s attorneys argued that Malik was allowed to use deadly force in self-defense and it became an issue of credibility between Snoop and Smooth. Furthermore, the LAPD severely bungled the handling of evidence from the crime scene. Inevitably, both Snoop and Malik were acquitted, although Malik would later go on to face stalking charges many years later. 

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