**Shia LaBeouf Arrested Again in Connection with New Orleans Bar Incident**
NEW ORLEANS — Actor Shia LaBeouf, previously arrested and charged with battery after allegedly punching several people outside a New Orleans bar earlier this month, was taken into custody again on Saturday. Court records indicate he faces an additional misdemeanor charge of simple battery.
LaBeouf’s attorney stated that the new arrest is related to a Feb. 17 brawl outside the Royal Street Inn & R Bar near the French Quarter, for which LaBeouf had already been arrested. During that incident, LaBeouf is accused of repeatedly using homophobic slurs while striking multiple individuals amid Mardi Gras celebrations.
When the New Orleans police issued a new arrest warrant on Friday, LaBeouf voluntarily surrendered to the Orleans Parish jail, according to his attorney, Sarah Chervinsky.
“No regular person would be required to post over $100,000 in bonds, and be jailed two separate times for one misdemeanor incident,” Chervinsky said. “Just as he does not deserve preferential treatment, Mr. LaBeouf also does not deserve to be treated more harshly by the police and courts just because he is a public figure.”
Attempts to reach New Orleans police by phone and email on Saturday were not immediately returned.
A video from the Feb. 17 incident shows a shirtless LaBeouf shoving one person to the ground and hitting another in the face, reportedly causing a possible dislocated nose, according to the New Orleans police report.
Jeffrey Damnit, a well-known local entertainer identified as Jeffrey Klein in the police report, said he was among those attacked by LaBeouf.
“He hit me, he connected a few times with punches, he pushed me a few times,” Damnit told The Associated Press.
Damnit described LaBeouf as having “just got nuts,” attempting to start fights and threatening to beat up him and others. Earlier in the night, LaBeouf allegedly pushed Damnit from behind at the bar while shouting homophobic slurs and threatening his life.
Despite efforts by Damnit and others to subdue LaBeouf and get him to leave, LaBeouf refused and became increasingly aggressive, according to both Damnit and the police report.
Police arrived around 12:45 a.m. on Fat Tuesday — the height of the city’s Mardi Gras celebrations — and arrested LaBeouf.
LaBeouf has not yet entered a plea and declined to speak with reporters on Thursday after a New Orleans judge ordered him to return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
During that court hearing, Chervinsky told the judge, “Frankly, being drunk on Mardi Gras is not a crime.”
https://abcnews.com/Entertainment/wireStory/actor-shia-labeouf-arrested-battery-charge-new-orleans-130632822