Time For Some Anger Management

(From The Hartford Courant)

Well, the judge must have liked CINDERELLA MAN because he let RUSSELL CROWE off on his own recognizance. But Crowe was ordered to return to court September 14th.

He was arraigned Monday morning on charges of throwing a telephone at an employee of the Manhattan hotel where he was staying.

Crowe, 41, who plays a boxer in his latest film, CINDERELLA MAN, allegedly threw the phone at the concierge at the MERCER HOTEL in SOHO, "hitting him in the face and causing a laceration and substantial pain," according to the complaint.

The Australian movie star was arraigned on charges of second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon (the telephone) before Manhattan Criminal Court JUDGE MARTIN MURPHY. The assault charge is punishable by four years in prison.

"This arose because he was trying to get his wife on the phone in Australia," his lawyer, GERALD LEFCOURT, told reporters earlier outside the police precinct where Crowe was booked. "He was in his room. He couldn't get a line, and there was a disagreement."

Police said Crowe left his room and went to the front desk, where the confrontation took place. The prosecution told the judge that Crowe admitted to a police officer that he picked up the phone and threw it because he was angry. The prosecution had asked the judge to set $5,000 bail.