Shia LaBeouf Sentenced to Probation After Mardi Gras Incident

Actor Shia LaBeouf has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to assaulting three individuals outside a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras. According to Sarah Chervinsky, LaBeouf’s attorney, the Orleans Parish judge ordered him to attend an alcohol treatment program.

Known for his roles in movies like 2007’s Transformers and 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, LaBeouf was released on bail following his arrest near the historic French Quarter. The confrontation, which occurred on February 17, was captured on video. It showed a shirtless LaBeouf shoving one person to the ground and striking another, potentially dislocating the person’s nose, as detailed in a police report. Authorities noted that LaBeouf used homophobic slurs, including during his arrest.

“LaBeouf pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery,” Judge Juana Marine-Lombard stated, issuing LaBeouf a six-month suspended sentence alongside two years of probation. He is also required to keep his distance from the victims and the bar, seeking accountability for his actions.”

Chervinsky commented that there was no indication of bias or prejudice in the altercation. Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams shared that his office conferred with the victims to ensure their support before offering the plea agreement.

Jeffrey Damnit, identified by police as Jeffrey Klein, was among those attacked by LaBeouf. Damnit’s attorney, Michael Kennedy, expressed his client’s hope that LaBeouf’s behavior improves with substance abuse treatment. Kennedy emphasized that in New Orleans, everyone should feel safe, regardless of fame.

After facing charges in February, a judge mandated LaBeouf to re-enter rehabilitation. Despite this, LaBeouf denied having a “drinking problem” in an interview with Andrew Callaghan, a journalist and YouTuber. He attributed his aggressive actions during Mardi Gras to “anger and ego” rather than alcohol. During the interview, LaBeouf voiced his fears regarding certain interactions, suggesting discomfort around “big gay people.”

Aside from this incident, LaBeouf has a history of legal troubles. In 2017, he was arrested in New York City on suspicion of assault during a live stream. Later that year, while filming The Peanut Butter Falcon in Georgia, he faced charges for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, leading to probation. In 2020, LaBeouf was charged with misdemeanor battery and petty theft in Los Angeles. That same year, musician FKA Twigs, legally Tahliah Barnett, filed a lawsuit against him for alleged abusive behavior, which was settled in July.

LaBeouf originally gained fame as a child actor on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens.