Amy Winehouse in court on fan assault charge

[samanthajane13]

By MICHAEL BUSHNELL, Associated Press Writer Michael Bushnell, Associated Press Writer – 31 mins ago

LONDON – A prosecutor told a London court Thursday that Amy Winehouse punched a fan with deliberate and unjustifiable violence after the woman asked to take a photograph.

The singer denied assault, saying she was simply trying to get away from an intimidating fan.

Winehouse is on trial accused of attacking another guest at a charity ball last September. Dancer Sherene Flash alleges she was hit in the eye by the 25-year-old "Back to Black" singer after asking to take her picture following the event in London's Berkeley Square.

Prosecutor Lyall Thompson said Winehouse appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or "some other substance" when she hit Flash.

Thompson said Winehouse initially agreed to have her picture taken by Flash, but may have been angered when a drunken friend of Flash tried to get into the photo.

"Miss Winehouse may have felt she had generously agreed to be photographed on her own and not with a drunken stranger," he said.

But he said that was no excuse for hitting Flash in the eye.

"This was a deliberate assault by Miss Winehouse," Thompson said. "There was nothing accidental about Miss Winehouse's actions."

Winehouse, known as much for her chaotic lifestyle as her soulful music, arrived at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court for the hearing dressed in a gray suit.

Winehouse, who was granted a divorce from her husband Blake Fielder-Civil a week ago, gave her name in court as Amy Jade Civil and sat quietly, occasionally taking notes, as prosecutors outlined the case against her.

She appeared relaxed and healthy as she took the stand and denied punching Flash. She said she had felt intimidated and annoyed by Flash and had only meant to push her arm away.

"I pushed her up, like away. I wanted her away from me," Winehouse said.

"It was more like an indication of 'leave me alone, I'm scared of you.'"

"I meant to just get her away from me. I was scared. I thought, people are mad these days, people are just rude and mad, or people can't handle their drink."

The singer shot to stardom with the Grammy-winning album "Back to Black" in 2006, but her music has been overshadowed by reports of drug use, run-ins with the law and a tempestuous marriage.

In recent months she has kept out of the headlines.

She recently returned from an extended break on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/...tain_winehouse

[wind149]

It's just a matter of time before this waste case kills somebody and how can anyone think this junkie is a "star" She can't sing worth a crap and she is butt ugly and the heavy makeup and eyelashes make her look even more hideous?? I realize in today's music, you don't even have to be talented, case in point rap crap! How can anyone call that music? And this broad? Sounds like a very bad lounge singer! How for the life of me is she even newsworthy, must be a slow day because even MJ (FINALLY) only rated a blurb on HLN. I remember seeing her on every freaking network, lurching down a London street in her red bra and she was as wasted as anyone could be and this made headlines all over the world?? And then there were the stories of her lungs being bad from smoking crack and I was like this, WHO CARES? And how could anyone even want to be a fan of this loser, but apparently there are people that just like noise because that sure ain't music coming out of her mouth!!

[samanthajane13]

Amy Winehouse acquitted of assault in Britain
By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer Jill Lawless, Associated Press Writer – 28 mins ago

LONDON – A judge acquitted Amy Winehouse on Friday of assaulting a fan who asked to take her picture.

District Judge Timothy Workman found the 25-year-old singer not guilty of punching dancer Sherene Flash in the eye after the fan asked to take her picture following a charity ball in September.

Prosecutors claimed it was a deliberate assault. But Winehouse said she had felt intimidated by the drunken Flash — and claimed she was too short to have hit the dancer in the face.

The judge said that after hearing the evidence, he could not be sure the blow had been deliberate.

"The charge is dismissed and the defendant discharged," he said.

Winehouse, dressed in a knee-length black skirt, gray jacket and white shirt, shrugged as the verdict was announced. She remained in the dock until her lawyer spoke to her, apparently clarifying the verdict.

"I'm relieved. I'm going home," she said as she left court through a jostling pack of photographers and television cameras.

In a statement read by a spokesman, the singer said she was "very happy to move on with her life and put the episode behind her."

During the two-day trial at London's City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, prosecutors accused Winehouse of punching Flash after a ball in London's Berkeley Square.

Prosecutor Lyall Thompson said the incident was "a deliberate assault by Miss Winehouse."

But Winehouse said she had felt intimidated when Flash "lunged at me and put her arm around me," and had only meant to push the other woman's arm away.

"I was scared," Winehouse said Thursday. "I thought 'People are mad these days, people are just rude and mad, or people can't handle their drink.' "

She also said that at "5 foot 2 1/2 or 5 foot 3" (about 160 centimeters) and wearing ballet pumps, she was too short to have hit the woman in the face. Flash is 5 foot 7 inches (about 175 centimeters) tall.

Winehouse's lawyer, Patrick Gibbs, said "the main injury here was probably to Miss Flash's pride."

Winehouse shot to stardom with the Grammy-winning album "Back to Black" in 2006, but her music has been overshadowed by reports of drug use, run-ins with the law and a tempestuous marriage.

Earlier this month she was granted a divorce from her husband of two years, Blake Fielder-Civil.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/...tain_winehouse

[samanthajane13]

Amy Winehouse Acquitted of Clocking Fan
Josh Grossberg Josh Grossberg – Fri Jul 24, 9:52 am ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) – Love is a losing game for Amy Winehouse, but the occasional smack is another matter.

The oft-troubled songbird was acquitted today in London of assaulting a fan who approached her for a photograph during a charity event last September.

Oh Amy, don't say you're no good!

Prosecutors accused Winehouse of punching burlesque dancer Sherene Flash in the eye shortly at the End of Summer Ball when Flash tried to bring an apparently tipsy friend into the the dressing room photo op.

The 25-year-old "Rehab" singer had maintained she was not guilty.

Yesterday at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court, Winehouse testified that she was aggravated and intimidated and just wanted the dancer to go away.

Winehouse also relied on the vaunted hairdo defense. (We can see the Law & Order episode now.)

The Grammy-winning diva said that while her trademark beehive makes her appear much taller than she is, at 5-foot-3, she's actually quite small and couldn't have socked the fan.

"I meant to just get her away from me," said Winehouse, adding that the incident was much ado about nothing.

The songbird left court shortly after the verdict without speaking to reporters.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/2009...usic_eo/135784