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Former 'Idol' Contestant Faces Assault Charge

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Former 'Idol' Contestant Faces Assault Charge

Old 03-05-03, 05:50 AM
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Former 'Idol' Contestant Faces Assault Charge

I guess this is why he got booted...



LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - An "American Idol" contestant who was first chosen as a semi-finalist, then removed from the show, is facing a court hearing on an assault charge this week.

Jaered Neale Andrews, 24, is scheduled to appear in a Pennsylvania court Friday (March 7) for a preliminary hearing on an assault charge. He's accused of punching a man, who then fell to the sidewalk and died after hitting his head on the pavement.

According to a police report posted at TheSmokingGun.com, Andrews was at a Farrell, Pa., bar in November celebrating his advancement to the second round of FOX's talent search with a group of friends.

Andrews and others got into an argument with Thomas Blakely, according to the report. Andrews reportedly told police he hit Blakely in the face, causing Blakely to fall to the sidewalk. An autopsy determined Blakely died of the trauma from the fall.

Andrews, who lives in Austintown, Ohio, was charged with assault and freed on $5,000 bail. Another man, Jerrold Lee Allen, also faces an assault charge. Police say Allen hit Blakely while Blakely was lying on the sidewalk.

After orginally being selected as one of 32 "American Idol" semifinalists, Andrews was removed from the show in January. The show's producers didn't disclose a reason at the time.
Old 03-05-03, 06:00 AM
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Assault? Sounds like he'd fit in perfectly to the American recording industry.

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Old 03-05-03, 07:51 AM
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When he was booted, he said that he was eliminated because he saw someone die at a club...he didn't mention that it was his fault.
Old 03-05-03, 07:54 AM
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I don't understand. He hit the guy, which caused him to die. Why are the charges "Assault" and not "Murder"?
Old 03-05-03, 08:11 AM
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Originally posted by das Monkey
Assault? Sounds like he'd fit in perfectly to the American recording industry.

das
You must be talking about American Gangster Idol...
Old 03-05-03, 08:16 AM
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Shouldn't he be up for at least Manslaughter?
Old 03-05-03, 08:17 AM
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• Quoth Groucho •<HR SIZE=1>I don't understand. He hit the guy, which caused him to die. Why are the charges "Assault" and not "Murder"? <HR SIZE=1>


I'm sure they could also charge him with involuntary manslaughter (or perhaps more if the stories don't jive), but murder implies intent to kill. Resident legals around here can correct me, but if I'm not mistaken, death resulting from assault (or a wanton and reckless act) is typically involuntary manslaughter. Murder, or more specifically, first-degree murder implies premeditated and deliberate intent to kill and/or killing with severe malice (resulting from rape or kidnapping or killing a cop, etc). Second-degree murder is a little more vague, but it still implies a knowledge that your actions will very likely lead to the death of someone.

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Old 03-05-03, 08:21 AM
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I understand the difference between murder and manslaughter. My real question is: why the "lite" charge of assault? Is this common? He accused of KILLING a man...he shouldn't be walking around free on $5000 bail.
Old 03-05-03, 08:25 AM
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There was no intent, which is why there is no murder charge. Technically, he did kill him, but he didn't murder him. There is a difference under the law.
Old 03-05-03, 08:27 AM
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But why ASSAULT and not MANSLAUGHTER?
Old 03-05-03, 08:34 AM
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• Quoth Groucho •<HR SIZE=1>But why ASSAULT and not MANSLAUGHTER? <HR SIZE=1>


If you keep changing the question ...

Like I said, it could possibly be escalated to manslaughter with more facts, but for now, all they have is that he punched him once, and the autopsy determined that he died from the fall. Had he beaten the guy, and the guy died from his injuries, that would possibly be manslaughter. But he died from the fall. I don't think punching someone once qualifies as a wanton and reckless act or a crime of passion.

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Old 03-05-03, 08:54 AM
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I am not too familiar with the US law, but I thought that it had something also to do with whether or not the consequences could be foreseen.

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