Courtney Love Arrested…Again
By Lia Haberman
Bless Courtney Love for single-handedly trying to maintain the wild-child reputation of rock stars.
The mercurial singer was arrested early Thursday morning after allegedly tossing a microphone stand in a New York nightclub and hitting a man in the head–just hours after flashing David Letterman on Late Show.
Love’s spin team quickly released a statement in response to the incident: “We are presently investigating the charges. There is a pending court date and we believe she will be vindicated.”
The former Hole frontwoman performed an impromptu gig at Plaid, in the East Village, for about 400 barflies Wednesday night. It’s not clear if she was aiming for the 24-year-old’s noggin or just practicing her javelin skills when she threw the stand into the audience.
According to a nightclub spokeswoman quoted by CNN, Love was unaware she had hit someone. “It was pretty bloody,” said the club rep. “No one really knew while she was performing that this happened. She wasn’t aware and did a few more songs. He worked his way through the crowd to the door and security called the ambulance.”
But the victim wasn’t buying the it’s-only-rock-‘n’-roll defense and was “very insistent on pressing charges.” Police arrested Love after she left the stage, though gave her a moment to call her attorney–who’s number must be on speed dial by now–before taking her away.
“She decided to go quietly,” the club flack said. “She had no bad intentions when she threw the thing, it was just part of her acting. She didn’t know she hurt someone and felt terrible about it, but she didn’t feel she was guilty of a crime either.”
The man was taken to Cabrini Hospital in stable condition, while Love was booked at the 9th Precinct in the East Village and charged with reckless endangerment. More charges are pending.
Love, who’s facing felony drug charges among other counts in Los Angeles, was in town Wednesday to appear on the Late Show. Dave may have got more than he bargained for when the rocker exposed herself several times during the broadcast–any bare skin was blocked to TV viewers. (Amen to Janet Jackson and the five-second delay.)
During the interview, she touched briefly on her California court cases, claiming to have downed nothing more than “one expired Percocet and one Ambien,” and chalked up her legal woes to her “wacky” behavior.
Her questionable conduct was also on display Tuesday when the America’s Sweetheart singer arrived in court two hours late for a hearing on her drug charges.
The downward spiral continued as Love fired and rehired her attorney, Michael Rosenstein, during the proceedings and inexplicably dissolved into tears at the end of the brief hearing.
Rosenstein, who recently signed on, was granted a delay in the case in order to review additional information. It’s the fourth time the preliminary hearing has been pushed back.
The drama is set to continue April 15, when her preliminary hearing is scheduled to take place.
The charges stem from an Oct. 2 arrest after police found Love attempting to break into her ex-boyfriend’s home and charged her with being under the influence of a controlled substance. Later the same night, she allegedly overdosed on painkillers, leading to separate felony charges of drug possession.
E!Online