Shia LaBeouf has the stars aligned in his favor this time amid his recent challenges.
The Disney alum has finally been granted permission to leave U.S. soil despite his pending court hearing later this month. This comes after his recent arrest in New Orleans after an altercation during Mardi Gras celebrations.
Shia LaBeouf has attracted tons of negative media attention over the past couple of months. He got into a fight outside a bar and allegedly hurled homophobic slurs during his arrest. His recent behavior has also raised questions about his sobriety.
Shia LaBeouf Cleared To Travel Out Of The Country
LaBeouf has successfully obtained a judge’s approval for his request to temporarily leave the United States. He revealed that he is traveling to attend his father’s baptism in Rome. An initial court filing associated with the request said the trip would last from March 1 to March 8 and was planned “for religious purposes, including attending his father’s baptism.”
The former child star’s attorney, Sarah Chervinsky, asked that her client be allowed to travel to Italy for a week in a second filing submitted to the courts on March 4. The one-week trip is said to start its count on Wednesday.
The Guardian reported that, according to the court records, Judge Hamilton granted Chervinsky’s request. The filings included details of his travel itinerary, while she indicated that she had the address where the TV star would stay and would share it with the court and prosecutors “upon request”.
Granting The Actor’s Request Raised Eyebrows
While LaBeouf celebrated that he is legally cleared to travel for the allotted time, in order not to miss out on this special moment for his father, the public has questioned the court’s decision. Many wonder whether the New Orleans criminal justice system is giving LaBeouf preferential treatment owing to his status, asking whether it would treat any other defendant the same.
However, it should be noted that it is not unusual for defendants to gain permission to travel out of town while on bond as they await the fate of their case. The public scrutiny of how the system was treating the “Transformers” star compared to other defendants did not begin with the turn-out of his request to travel. He was released from custody after his arrest on February 17 without being required to post bond until hours later.
The star was later required to put up $105,000 in bonds after the allegations of the homophobic words he uttered during the brawl came to light. Another notable reason is the timing of his arrest and release. February 17 is the Mardi Gras holiday in New Orleans, and at such a time of festivity, releases from custody do not typically happen that quickly.
A Previous Judge Denied The Disney Alum’s Travel Request
The actor’s initial request for authorization to travel to the Italian capital was denied by a Louisiana judge. The filing brought to court on February 26 was denied by state Judge Simone Levine, and it was reported that the initial filing lacked a travel itinerary. LaBeouf has made his travel plans so they will not interfere with his court hearing scheduled for March 19.
He is set to appear in court for the hearing on his case, where he faces two counts of simple battery. The Blast reported that just two days after his initial court filing, LaBeouf was arrested again in New Orleans and taken to the county jail due to a new charge of battery.
His initial arrest followed his being seen causing a disturbance outside the French Quarter. He threw fists at some men outside a bar and allegedly said, “These f–gots put me in jail. I’m a Catholic,” during the fight.
The 39-Year-Old’s Version Of The Mardi Gras Altercation
The actor has defended his actions in his recent street fight, which led to his arrest. He admitted his actions were wrong but also denied having a drinking problem, ascribing his recent behavior to a “Napoleon complex” or “small man complex” and his pre-existing anger issues.
He also shed light on the reason behind the words he said during the fight, which have been tagged as homophobic. In an interview with Andrew Callaghan, he said, “I’ll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me. “When I am standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me, touching my leg, I get scared,” he further explained.
LaBeouf continued, “I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic, then I’m that.” The Blast shared that later in the interview, he stated that he does not feel going back to rehab would do him any good, stressing that he does not think he has a drinking problem.
Shia LaBeouf Urged To Fix Up
The “Fury” actor has soiled his hands and name with several violent incidents and run-ins with the law. As a result, many are urging him to fix up, including a judge who called him out for not taking “his alcohol addiction seriously,” a problem he insists he does not have.
As shared by The Blast, a source has warned that LaBeouf’s path is lined with a tragic ending if he continues with his recent behaviors. “This guy has got to find a way to get sober or die; eventually, this is all going to a tragic ending,” they said. Another insider noted, “His behavior sounds like an addict. It’s just sad that someone with so much to live for continually puts himself at risk.”
Other reports claim that the former child star is good at manipulating people to believe he has turned a new leaf. They cited that he extends this “master manipulator” persona to his relationships, as seen with his previous partners, including his estranged wife, Mia Goth.