Akon Cops Plea for Fan Toss
E! Online, Dec 17, 2008 4:00 pm PSTAkon is indeed sorry and do blame it on him. In exchange for his guilty plea in Fishkill Town Court, Akon will escape jail time—that is, as long as he stays out of trouble, completes 65 hours of community service and pays a $250 fine. Prosecutors also dropped a child-endangerment charge as part of the deal.
The Konvicted rapper pleaded guilty today to harassment for throwing a fan off a stage during an upstate New York concert last year.
As part of a plea bargain, the 35-year-old performer admitted tossing then-15-year-old Anthony Smith into the crowd at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, after the audience, at the MC's behest, fingered the teen for throwing an object onstage. The June 3, 2007, incident was captured on video and uploaded to YouTube.
After entering his plea, Akon, aka Aliaune Thiam, shook hands with Anthony and apologized to him and his parents.
The hip-hopster refused to answer reporters' questions as he left the courthouse. But Akon's attorney, Andrea Zellan, released a statement saying he was happy about the way things turned out.
"We are pleased that the case has been resolved, and Akon looks forward to putting this unfortunate incident behind him."
Akon's latest album, Freedom, hit stores earlier this month.
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