Broadway star James Barbour is facing a two month jail sentence after he confessed to groping a 15-year-old girl in his dressing room.
The 41-year-old agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in return for 60 days in jail. Barbour admitted in court yesterday that he lured a high school student back to his dressing room in 2001 after a teacher arranged for her and her parents to see him in a production of Jane Eyre.
The actor - who also played the Beast in Beauty and the Beast - revealed he touched the aspiring actress sexually. He then arranged for her to visit him at home, where he touched her again. Barbour's lawyer Ronald P. Fischetti claims the girl - now 22 - initiated the contact, and has asked a court to allow him to publish ads, featuring the girl's name, asking men if she has filed false claims against them.
He told reporters, "She initiated both of these sexual encounters and then waited five years before filing a complaint against him." Fischetti added that his client only pleaded guilty to avoid being added to the sex offenders' register. He said, "By pleading guilty to misdemeanors, he doesn't have to register (as a sex offender), and that's important. "He wouldn't have been able to travel without reporting, and he wouldn't have been able to work with children."
First of all, this guy shouldn't be working with children ever again. I don't care of she made the first move or not. The fact is that he was 34 and she was 15 and he should have known better. Also, if he didn't do it, then why the hell would you plead guilty to the crime. The guy invited the 15 year old girl back to his house because he wanted to continue the groping he did at the theatre. And what is with the lawyer wanting to publish her name in the papers? That is just crass. What would the ad say? Did this teenage girl come on to any older guys in the New York area? Would he post lots of pictures of her as well so the whole world would know. This is a bunch of crap. Like I said, it doesn't matter if she initiated it, the guy should have stopped it. Go to jail James and let the guys there spend some time groping you and see how you enjoy it.
The picture is what Barbour looked like at the time of the sexual assault.
well, if I were a 15 year old girl, I'd totally be all over that greasy disgusting mess. Yeah. Off with 'is head. and I mean the smallest of the two.
ReplyDeletelol@dnfrommn
ReplyDeleteMore and More I get disgusted that just because you are a celebrity you get off with hardly anything. These people if they commit a serious crime they should pay the price.
Even though if the girl was the one that consented still he is the adult and he should know better.
Also I find it strange that she waited 5 years to charge him with the crime. Isn't their a cut-off date on crimes like this?
Sounds like he was aptly cast in that production.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she was to embarassed or scared to mention it until she matured?
Ewwwwww, i think it's disgusting that just by pleading guilty he's STILL allowed to work with children. WTF?? Who made up that legislation??
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the terms of the agreement; he's actually paying a significant price. Again, where are they parents in this type of mess? Who drove her to his apartment? That he should have known better is not in question but as I understand it, she initiated the contact... who put her up to that? He is guilty of a crime and is paying the price for that but I really think we need to start holding the parents/guardians somewhat responsible as well.
ReplyDeletesylvia, it depends on the state, but for most any sexual abuse of a minor is 20+ years.
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion to publish the girls name in the paper is nothing more than manipulation and an attempt to threaten her to the point where she may back down. Someone needs to get his hand slapped for making such a move.
ReplyDeleteIn NY, the limit for reporting a crime of this nature is 5 years. The victim came forward shortly before she turned 20. And I don't blame her for waiting- she was only 15 at the time! She may have thought the whole thing was romantic- a Broadway star, intersted in her. Only after growing up did she realize that he took advantage of her.
ReplyDeletewait. there's a Broadway star who's straight?
ReplyDeleteno way!
Always always ALWAYS suspect the motives of ANYONE who works primarily with children. Yes, even teachers.
ReplyDeleteThese predators specifically choose professions that give them the opportunity to 1. be around kids and 2. hold some kind of power over them.
It's kind of sad, but you have absolutely no idea how many pedophiles are in these professions--it's a bit of a thrill, I understand.
When it comes to the kids, suspect EVERYONE.
*KellyS..
ReplyDeleteROFLMAO!
majik and twistedsister are spot on...
ReplyDeletevisman needs some self-reflection...
At his plea bargain hearing last week, while sounding like a little school girl -- and we all now know his preferences there -- barbour responded to the charges without a trace of sincerity and remorse.
truly one of his better acting jobs.
shame there is no award for hoodwinking and mocking the legal process. perhaps he has set the precedent? ..."and the winner of the shammy goes to"....
i am not fooled by his nonchalance in the press, nor that of his beaten -- and over-priced -- defense team. birds of a feather, indeed.
sociopaths do not like to lose under any circumstance and will gaslight the world into thinking they have triumphed.
the fact is, he is an admitted child molester. no denying public record.
while on the topic of denial...how about his "loving wife" standing by his side...how stupid does this pretentious prick think people are? will this woman awaken from her stupor someday? it's bad theater in every sense of the phrase.
it doesn't require a background in forensics to know that if he victimized one kid, he has victimized numerous kids. yes, kids. there's a pathology here.
if you've been following along, you'd know the press has already reported on another girl who won't come forward. kid was 13 at the time...
unfortunately, this is the story of the *only* victim who had the courage to come to forward. and no one but a victim can appreciate the gravity of this action. only another victim can know the damage that will never go away..the closure that will never manifest.
this demon took more than one childhood. and yes, 60 days doesn't even come close to repaying this, but it's a start. perhaps there will be more in his future?
the bloated ego and sociopathic nature of this pathetic animal denies him the ability to self-reflect, and therefore, renders him incapable of remorse.
he has committed these acts before, and will likely commit them again. the good news here is that he is now being watched.
his empty bravado and dullness of helmet will surely cause him to slip...
let's hope the public recognizes him for what he truly is and refuses to support everything with which he is associated...forever.
to the jay binders of the world (see the recent ny times article)...i say shame on you...you are just as morally bankrupt as he, if you would hire him for anything ever again.
i can only hope the theater lovers at rikers clean him out as well as his super star defense team did.
now let's see...what skill can he parlay into prison currency during his stay...i know...let's put on a show...oh yes, nothing like grand broadway show tunes to lift the spirits in the morning showers.
kinda conjures up the image of zero and gene rehearsing 'prisoners of love', eh?
on second thought, over the next few weeks maybe he should learn to rap...
in a month or so, the world will have one less piece of trash walking about...if but for a short while...
Gerardo mora said:
ReplyDelete"kinda conjures up the image of zero and gene rehearsing 'prisoners of love', eh?"
Bwaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!
I agree that anyone who hires this dirtbag again is just as rotten as he is. Talk about being enablers.
Have you read today's article in the nypost
ReplyDelete(http://www.nypost.com/seven/01092008/entertainment/theater/barbour_wont_be_cut_367158.htm)
To sum up: the producers (Russellsharpe productions) of A Tale of Two Cities are keeping Barbour aboard the prod. Yep, out of the slammer, fresh on probation, and back on the boards! So the next starstruck girl can swoon over an ADMITTED SEXUAL PREDATOR. On Ron Sharpe's, one half of the producing team, website (http://www.russellsharpeproductions.com/index.php), he refers to his daughter as his finest production. ...yep... To contact Ron Sharpe and offer your opinion about his decision to stick by his irreplaceable pervert, paste info@russellsharpeproductions.com
into your "To:" box and have at it. Please, spread the word. This is disgusting behavior and a blight on the entertainment community.