West charged over snapper clash
Rapper Kanye West faces charges after a clash with a photographer which broke his camera.
West was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport days after performing at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.
The celebrity gossip site TMZ filmed West allegedly breaking the flash of a photographer’s camera inside a terminal, and his manager allegedly breaking the camera itself and accosting TMZ’s videographer.
West faces two and a half years in jail if convicted on the charges of misdemeanour battery, grand theft and vandalism.
West’s lawyer, Blair Berk, declined to comment on the charges.
West’s road manager, Dan Crawley, also faces six misdemeanour charges: two counts of battery, vandalism and grand theft. He faces up to five years in jail if convicted.
The charges were filed today by the office of outgoing City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, whose office last year also pursued a misdemeanour against Britney Spears over her driving licence.
Mr Delgadillo’s office received the case after county prosecutors declined to charge West and Crawley.
West is one of a number of celebrities who have had run-ins with aggressive paparazzi.
Photographers are suing footballer David Beckham and actor Woody Harrelson over separate scuffles. And two men face felony charges after a fight between photographers and surfers in Malibu; in that incident, the paparazzi were trying to snap images of actor Matthew McConaughey.
West appeared last week on 'American Idol', performing his song 'Heartless' from his most recent album, '808s & Heartbreak', which also features the song 'Love Lockdown'.
The winner of multiple Grammys since he rocketed to stardom with his album 'The College Dropout', West has become well-known for his temper tantrums.
