Hirsch in court over club 'attack'
Actor Emile Hirsch is due to make his first court appearance since being charged with assault for allegedly putting a studio executive in a headlock while he was in Utah for the Sundance Film Festival.
The Into The Wild star was charged last month with aggravated assault, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. He is also facing a misdemeanour count of intoxication.
His attorney Robert Offer says 29-year-old Hirsch does not remember the events of January 25 at Tao Nightclub in Park City because he was so drunk. Hirsch checked into rehab within days of the incident.
Summit County prosecutor Ryan Stack confirmed that the woman, Daniele Bernfeld, is an executive for Insurge Pictures, a Paramount Pictures subsidiary.
Court documents say the incident when Hirsch, looking drunk, approached Ms Bernfeld and asked why she looked “so tough”. He also said she was a “rich kid who should not be at Sundance”.
Investigators say Hirsch grabbed Ms Bernfeld and she pushed him away. He left and sat with friends before coming back and grabbed her from behind, the documents say.
She was put in a chokehold and pulled across the table before Hirsch landed on top of her on the floor, authorities said.
Ms Bernfeld said she might have blacked out momentarily.
