Crowe released after court hearing
Actor Russell Crowe has been released from custody after being charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly throwing a telephone at a hotel employee in New York.
The Oscar-winner, who plays a boxer in his new movie Cinderella Man,, was arrested early on Monday and released on his own recognisance after being taken in handcuffs to his hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court.
The assault charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, prosecutors said.
The weapon charge is linked to Crowe's use of the phone, they said.
Assistant District Attorney Chad Sjoquist told Judge Martin Murphy during Monday's hearing that there were witnesses to the incident.
Crowe, wearing blue jeans, a dark blue studded jacket and aviator-style sunglasses, was released without bail.
He made no comment as he moved past hordes of media waiting outside the courthouse before getting into a waiting car.
Crowe's Los Angeles-based publicist said he lost his temper when a desk clerk gave him "attitude" after the actor asked repeatedly for a faulty phone in his room to be replaced so he could call his family in Australia.
But the star's spokeswoman insisted that Crowe threw the phone against a wall and never assaulted or hurt the hotel employee.
"Upon arrival, it was determined that Russell Crowe threw a phone at a hotel clerk," a police spokeswoman said, adding that the employee had been treated in hospital for a minor cut to the face.
"After asking the front desk several times to replace a faulty phone in his room - and getting only attitude from the clerk on duty, Crowe brought the phone down to the front desk in an effort to address the situation in person," publicist Robin Baum said in a statement.
"Words were exchanged and Crowe wound up throwing the phone against the wall.
"He regrets that he lost his temper, but at no time did he assault anyone or touch any hotel employee," she said.
Police were called to the swanky Mercer Hotel in SoHo, downtown Manhattan, at around 4:20 am (local time).
He was ordered to return to court on September 14.
Actor Russell Crowe has been released from custody after being charged with second-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly throwing a telephone at a hotel employee in New York.
The Oscar-winner, who plays a boxer in his new movie Cinderella Man,, was arrested early on Monday and released on his own recognisance after being taken in handcuffs to his hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court.
The assault charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison, prosecutors said.
The weapon charge is linked to Crowe's use of the phone, they said.
Assistant District Attorney Chad Sjoquist told Judge Martin Murphy during Monday's hearing that there were witnesses to the incident.
Crowe, wearing blue jeans, a dark blue studded jacket and aviator-style sunglasses, was released without bail.
He made no comment as he moved past hordes of media waiting outside the courthouse before getting into a waiting car.
Crowe's Los Angeles-based publicist said he lost his temper when a desk clerk gave him "attitude" after the actor asked repeatedly for a faulty phone in his room to be replaced so he could call his family in Australia.
But the star's spokeswoman insisted that Crowe threw the phone against a wall and never assaulted or hurt the hotel employee.
"Upon arrival, it was determined that Russell Crowe threw a phone at a hotel clerk," a police spokeswoman said, adding that the employee had been treated in hospital for a minor cut to the face.
"After asking the front desk several times to replace a faulty phone in his room - and getting only attitude from the clerk on duty, Crowe brought the phone down to the front desk in an effort to address the situation in person," publicist Robin Baum said in a statement.
"Words were exchanged and Crowe wound up throwing the phone against the wall.
"He regrets that he lost his temper, but at no time did he assault anyone or touch any hotel employee," she said.
Police were called to the swanky Mercer Hotel in SoHo, downtown Manhattan, at around 4:20 am (local time).
He was ordered to return to court on September 14.
I know that Crowe has a temper, but I really hope that the employee gets a descent settlement out of this. Maybe he let his recent movie go to his head.
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