David Crosby pleads guilty to gun charge

David Crosby pleadsguilty to gun charge
NEW YORK -- Rock musician David Crosby, founding member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, pleaded guilty Friday to a gun charge, was fined $5,000 and sentenced to a conditional discharge.
Crosby, 62, pleaded guilty in Manhattan's state Supreme Court to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree as part of a plea deal. The charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison upon conviction.
Justice Michael R. Ambrecht said the case was discharged on the conditions that Crosby pay the fine and the court surcharges and avoid getting arrested again. Crosby's lawyer, Scott Herschman, said his client planned to pay the fine immediately.
The singer was arrested March 6 at the DoubleTree Suites Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Police said they found a Colt .45-caliber handgun, three clips of .45-caliber ammunition and two knives in his luggage.
Police also said the musician had a plastic bag containing an ounce of marijuana, a wooden container with a marijuana cigarette in it, a package of cigarette rolling papers and two other plastic containers with marijuana residue.
Crosby was arrested just hours after performing with his band, CPR, at a Wayne, N.J., college. He had checked out of the hotel but left behind a piece of luggage, police said. A hotel worker went through the luggage looking for identification, found the marijuana, gun and knives, and called police.
Crosby later called the hotel to say he'd be returning to pick up the luggage. Police greeted him when he showed up.
Miss World finallysigns her contract
DUBLIN, Ireland -- Miss World, Rosanna Davison of Ireland, has finally signed her contract with pageant organizers halfway through her reign -- and denied that she's been playing hardball.
The 19-year-old issued a statement through her lawyer's office that put blame for any delays on the Miss World organizers. She also rejected Irish press reports that she was refusing to do engagements as the pageant wanted.
The legal statement said Davison -- the daughter of 1980s pop crooner Chris de Burgh -- signed a contract in mid-June, three months after Miss World organizers presented it. It offered no detail on the contract terms or issues in dispute.
"Prior to this, Miss Davison had already carried out numerous engagements as Miss World in the United States, Canada, China, Sri Lanka, continental Europe, England and Ireland, helping to raise millions of dollars for children's charities, promoting the aims of the Miss World organization and bringing much positive global attention to her native land," the statement said.
Davison's main appearance in Ireland was as grand marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin. She is due to hand back her crown at the next contest on Dec. 4 in Sanya, China.
Today's birthdays
Movie director Ken Russell is 77. Jazz musician Pete Fountain is 74. Playwright Tom Stoppard is 67. Writer-producer Jay Tarses is 65. Singer Fontella Bass is 64. Actor Kurtwood Smith is 61. Actor Michael Cole ("The Mod Squad") is 59. Country singer Johnny Lee is 58. Writer Dave Barry is 57. Actress Betty Buckley is 57. Rock singer-musician Paul Barrere (Little Feat) is 56. Actress Jan Smithers is 55. Talk show host Montel Williams is 48. Singer Laura Branigan is 47. Country singer Aaron Tippin is 46. Rock musician Vince Clarke (Erasure) is 44. Actor Tom Cruise is 42. Actor Thomas Gibson is 42. Actress Hunter Tylo is 42. Singer Ishmael Butler is 35. Rock musician Kevin Hearn (Barenaked Ladies) is 35. Actress-singer Audra McDonald is 34. Singer Shane Lynch (Boyzone) is 28.
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