Lindsay Lohan Assault: Charges Dropped Against Man Who Allegedly Attacked And Choked Actress At New York Hotel
All charges have been dropped following a physical altercation between Lindsay Lohan and a 25-year-old man at a Manhattan hotel this weekend.
The actress accused Christian LaBella, a California man identified as a former staffer for Illinois Congressman John Shimkus, of attacking and choking her at the W Hotel in Union Square.
LaBella was initially charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and two counts of harassment, but police have dropped all charges in the incident.
"Nobody's been arrested, there's no assault," a spokeswoman for the New York City Police Department told Reuters. "Reports were taken and both parties were able to give their account of what took place."
Lohan allegedly reported that she met LaBella at the 1 Oak night club in Chelsea, and the two later went to Lohan's room at the W Hotel. Around 4:30 a.m., Lohan said she saw photos of herself of LaBella's phone and confronted him about it. She then allegedly took the phone, and LaBella threw her onto the bed. Lohan told detectives she ran out of the room but later returned, and LaBella attacked her by climbing on top of her until a friend could pull him off.
Lohan then pulled the hotel's fire alarm to call for help. LaBella left the room and headed downstairs, but police arrived and took him into custody around 6 a.m.
Lohan's publicist Steve Honig confirmed the incident.
"Lindsay was assaulted early this morning in a New York hotel," Honig said. "While she did sustain some injuries, she was not hospitalized. The assailant was arrested and is currently in police custody. Lindsay has spoken with police and is fully cooperating with the investigation."
Honig said he was unhappy that all charges against LaBella would be dropped.
"It's both distressing and outrageous ... and there should be no consequence for that," he said.
Congressman Shimkus' office acknowledged that LaBella worked there but refused to comment further on the altercation.
"While no one from Congressman Shimkus' office has been contacted by Mr. LaBella following his arrest, he has been an employee in the Congressman's Washington office," a spokesman said in a statement Sunday. "Obviously, the Congressman does not condone his actions. As this is a legal matter for Mr. LaBella, the Congressman nor his office will make further comment."
