Heterosexual actor Shia LaBeouf pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery on Wednesday related to a February incident in which he assaulted two men and called them “fa***ts” during an altercation amid the Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans, Louisiana.
LaBeouf insinuated that the altercation occurred because of inappropriate touching from the men, though the police incident report didn’t mention any such touching. Shortly after the incident, LaBeouf admitted, “Big gay people are scary to me,” and added, “If that’s homophobic, then I’m that.”
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A judge subsequently sentenced LaBeouf to two years of probation with a six-month suspended sentence on Wednesday. LaBeouf will remain un-imprisoned as long as he completes his probation without another offense.
LaBeouf was arrested and charged with simple battery on February 17 after allegedly punching two men at a bar. A police report said he repeatedly called the men “fa***ts” — at least one of his victims identifies as queer. The men said LaBeouf shouted an anti-gay slur at them. A cellphone video recorded by one of the men reportedly showed LaBeouf shouting the slur while in police custody.
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Bar employees tried to eject LaBeouf after he became “increasingly aggressive,” and he reportedly punched the victim after being removed from the bar. He then left the scene but returned, “acting even more aggressive,” police said.
“Multiple people attempted to hold him down — he was eventually let up in hopes that he would leave — but he reportedly again struck the same victim with closed fists to the victim’s upper body. LaBeouf then reportedly assaulted another person, punching him in the nose,” police said. “LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived.”
The statement didn’t mention whether anyone had inappropriately touched LaBeouf prior to the assaults.
One of the victims, LA-based writer and performer Jeffrey Damnit, said that he was dressed in drag when LaBeouf attacked him at the Royal Street bar. He said LaBeouf punched him “while screaming, ‘You’re a f**king fa***t.’”
“I mean, it’s a hate crime, right? You’re beating people up because somewhere in your mind their sexuality goes against what you think should get to live,” Damnit added. LaBeouf wasn’t charged with hate crimes, a decision that is ultimately left up to prosecutors and which often raises the burden of proof for a court conviction.
Police later issued a warrant for LaBeouf’s arrest for allegedly head-butting a third man and using anti-gay slurs against him at the same bar on the same day. LaBeouf turned himself in to New Orleans police, according to WDSU. He was released the same day and was later photographed holding his arrest papers in his mouth while dancing in the street with Mardi Gras revelers.
During an interview shortly after the incident, LaBeouf described his “behavior” during the altercation as “bulls**t.” He also blamed his behavior on “a small man complex.”
“I think it’s something that has to do with anger and ego more so than my drinking,” he said.
“I’ll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me,” he said when asked about what enraged him before the assault. “When I’m, like, standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me, touching my leg, I get scared…. I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic, then I’m that.”
“I’m good with gay,” he continued. “Be gay over there, though. Don’t be gay in my lap.”
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