Akon Pleads Not Guilty

This morning in a New York courtroom, Akon pleaded not guilty to charges of endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree harassment relating to an incident in which he threw a fan off the stage.



Akon was performing in Fishkill in June (07) when an audience member threw an object at him. The culprit was brought to the stage by security upon Akon's request, before hoisting the teenager onto his shoulders and throwing him back into the audience. The youth landed on another teenager, who later claimed she had been diagnosed with concussion.

But the singer - who entered his plea today when he appeared in court in Fishkill, New York, for arraignment - insists he never meant to hurt anyone. His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, says, "It was never Akon's intention to violate the law. This unfortunate incident was a spontaneous reaction during a live concert that Akon deeply regrets." Akon was released of his own recognizance after his brief court appearance and is due to return to face the charges in January. I am assuming without ever practicing in New York, that the charges filed against Akon must require some intent on his part in order for him to be found guilty. I'm guessing that negligence alone is not enough because of how Akon's lawyer parsed the statement. Intent is often required for many crimes, and without it, you cannot be found guilty. It doesn't mean Akon won't get the crap sued out of him though.



Police have been investigating the incident since the summer and officially pressed charges against Akon last week.