USA: Musician Boy George makes brief court appearance on cocaine possession charges

Record ID: 191025

  • Title: USA: Musician Boy George makes brief court appearance on cocaine possession charges
  • Date: 9th February 2006
  • Summary: BOY GEORGE AT REHEARSAL, POSING FOR MEDIA; STILLS CAMERA; BOY GEORGE AND ROSIE O'DONNELL POSING FOR CAMERAS
  • Embargoed: 24th February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVADQ05U21SOFZF1DXGDILN0M2S0
  • Story Text: Singer Boy George appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday (February 01) to answer drug possession charges he faces in New York, which could result in prison time if he is convicted. The musician had entered a plea of "Not Guilty" to the charges at a previous court appearance.
    An incident in October 2005 led to the possession charges, after police, responding to his call to report a burglary, allegedly found thirteen bags of cocaine in his apartment.
    The singer, whose real name is George O'Dowd, is also charged with filing a false report with police.
    O'Dowd's attorney, Louis Freeman strongly supports his client's innocence.
    "We'll fight these charges and we'll be victorious because he is not guilty," Freeman said.
    The case was adjourned until March 8 after Freeman asked for more time to prepare his case. No new plea was entered during the brief hearing.
    George, who made his name in the 1980s as front man for the pop band Culture Club, was arrested on October 7, 2005.
    Freeman said the singer does not know where the drugs came from or who owned them, and that he is a very social person who has many visitors to his home.
    The felony complaint charges the singer with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance. The cocaine found was initially thought to have weighed more than one-eighth of an ounce (3.5 grams). However subsequent police tests have indicated that its weight is less than one-eighth of an ounce. George's musical "Taboo" closed in New York in 2004 after losing money. The musical was an autobiographical look at a time when flamboyant cross-dressers reigned in London clubs and Culture Club topped pop charts around the world.
    The son of an Irish builder, George rose from supermarket shelf stocker to glitzy pop millionaire.
    "He's a remarkably creative individual and he's not happy that these charges are hanging over his head but he's moving forward with his creative work nevertheless," said Lou Freeman about O'Dowd.
    Boy George became an international star in 1982 with "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" The song topped the charts in 18 countries and Culture Club went on to sell almost 20 million albums.
    In 1995, George recounted his drug-induced fall from grace and how he had finally kicked his heroin habit in his autobiography "Take It Like A Man." Later, he made a new career as a disc jockey and record producer.
    ENDS.
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