The New York D.A. has dumped potential criminal charges against Sutherland, saying the actor’s highly publicized headbutting case in NYC back in May doesn't remotely qualify as criminal conduct.
Sutherland’s legal trouble is over
"We declined to prosecute after a full investigation," Manhattan D.A. spokeswoman Alicia Maxey Greene was quoted by PEOPLE as saying on Tuesday. "That included speaking to the complaining witness, who was quite uncooperative."
Echoing the decision of NYDA, the Los Angeles city attorney's office declined to pursue criminal charges against Sutherland, determining that the actor’s altercation with a fashion designer back in May was not serious enough to violate his probation stemming from his 2007 DUI conviction.
The L.A. City Attorney's office had been investigating the 42-year-old Emmy winner for a possible probation violation.
"Based on the evidence and information received from New York officials, as well as our own independent review of the evidence, we will not be seeking a violation of Sutherland's probation," L.A. City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan tells PEOPLE.
Sutherland, who is most famous for his role as CIA agent Jack Bauer in the worldwide TV hit “24”, is currently serving a five-year probation term following a second DUI conviction in 2007. Authorities had previously said that by getting physical with the designer the actor has violated the terms of his second DUI conviction, which clearly state the actor must "obey all laws".
History of the case
A scuffle between U.S. television and movie actor Sutherland and women’s wear fashion designer Jack McCollough ensued on May 5th after the latter accidentally bumped into actress Brooke Shields at a New York City gala. Shields was talking to Sutherland at the time.
McCollough claimed at the time that Sutherland appeared intoxicated. He asked him to apologize, and when he refused to do so, the actor allegedly got physical with him, breaking his nose.
Sutherland, on the other hand, had claimed that he attacked McCollough in order to defend the honor of Shields.
Sutherland’s professional and personal life
Born on Dec. 21, 1966 in London, UK, Sutherland is the son of actor Donald Sutherland and Canadian actress Shirley Douglas. He made a big screen debut by appearing as Bill in “Max Dugan Returns” in 1983.
Sutherland is most famous for his role as CIA agent Jack Bauer in the worldwide TV hit “24”. His magnificent acting in the Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran- created series helped him win a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, two Golden Satellite Awards, and two Emmy nominations.
Sutherland has been married twice. In 1988, he was married to actress Camelia Kath who was 14 years his senior. But their marriage lasted for only two years. The couple filed for divorce in February 1990. They share a daughter, Sarah Jude, born in the same year they got married. He was married a second time, to Kelly Winn, on June 29, 1996. Unfortunately, the relationship ended in May 2004.
The actor is known to have had romantic relationships with several women, like Julia Roberts and dancer Amanda Rice. He got engaged to Roberts in 1991, although their relationship ended just five days before their planned marriage, which was scheduled for June 14, 1991.
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