When it comes to recording popular music, Georgia might not jump to the front of most people’s minds. However, several hip-hop musicians record out of Georgia, and recently, pop star Justin Bieber made his way to the south in order to record some of his music. The young singer also seems to be back in the spotlight for some less-than-savory behavior, only this time it’s his bodyguard facing criminal charges.
Apparently, Justin Bieber and his crew thought that they might be safer from the paparazzi during their time spent in the South. When it was noted that a photographer was waiting for the young pop star to emerge from a family fun center, he was confronted by one of Bieber’s bodyguards. In the past, the star has pointed his finger to paparazzi as the reason for speeding tickets, and he has apparently made his distaste for their job well-known.
The bodyguard apparently demanded that the photographer leave, but instead of leaving, the man simply took his photographs from a farther distance. From that point, the bodyguard supposedly chased the photographer as he fled in his SUV. When he was able to stop him, Bieber’s employee then apparently opened the photographer’s SUV door and grabbed his camera. He claims that he did not want to keep it and had only intended on deleting the pictures that had been taken against their will.
The stolen camera was discovered when Bieber’s vehicle was searched by police, which initially uncovered a small amount of marijuana and two pipes. Police then searched the second vehicle, where they found the stolen camera, which is reported to be worth about $10,000. The bodyguard was subsequently arrested on criminal charges of felony theft for allegedly stealing the photographer’s camera. As he may be unfamiliar with Georgia state laws, it may be beneficial to the bodyguard to review them, as they are applicable to his case before making any concrete decisions concerning his defense.
Source: CNN, Justin Bieber’s Georgia fun interrupted; police find pot,pipes in limo, Alan Duke, Feb. 27, 2014