Actor Penn Pleads No Contest in Civil Suit

Comments
23 June 2010

In a civil lawsuit, actor Sean Penn has pleaded no contest to one count of vandalism and has been sentenced to three years of probation, 300 hours of community service and 36 hours of anger management counseling.

This sentence was delivered after Penn allegedly kicked and punched photographer Jordan Dawes on Oct. 4, 2009. The attack took place when Dawes, as well as several other paparazzi photographers, had a run-in with Penn in Brentwood, Calif.

Another photographer on the scene filmed about 30 seconds of the incident; however, this footage only shows Penn shouting and not any of the preceding physical assault. Dawes has said that he has since had surgery as a result of his injuries.Although Penn was sentenced for vandalism charges, a civil suit filed by Dawes is still pending.