Keifer Sutherland faces drunken driving charge

Keifer Sutherland faces
drunken driving charge

LOS ANGELES — Kiefer Sutherland was arrested early Tuesday for investigation of misdemeanor drunken driving after he was stopped for making an illegal U-turn and failed a field sobriety test, authorities said. The actor was pulled over about 1:10 a.m. in West Los Angeles, said Officer Kevin Maiberger. Sutherland, 40, tested over the state’s legal blood alcohol limit of .08 percent, said Officer Karen Smith. Police declined to say what his blood-alcohol level was. Sutherland spokeswoman Annett Wolf declined to comment. The actor was released around 4 a.m. after posting $25,000 bail, according to Sheriff’s Department records. Maiberger said Sutherland was scheduled to appear in court Oct. 16.

Amazon launches
digital music store

SEATTLE — Web retailer Amazon.com Inc. launched its much-anticipated digital music store Tuesday with more than 2 million songs, all without copy-protection technology. The store, Amazon MP3, lets shoppers buy and download individual songs or entire albums using Amazon’s 1-Click button. The tracks can be copied to multiple computers, burned onto CDs and played on most types of PCs and portable devices, including Apple Inc.’s iPod. Songs cost 89 cents to 99 cents each and albums sell for $5.99 to $9.99. Amazon’s store faces Apple’s market-leading iTunes, which also has taken steps to offer some songs without so-called digital rights management technology. EMusic.com Inc., another popular download site, also sells tracks in the DRM-free MP3 format but, like Amazon’s store, doesn’t offer artists on major music labels that still require anti-piracy locks.

Motorcycle accident
doesn’t stop Clooney

NEW YORK — George Clooney didn’t let a motorcycle accident keep him off the red carpet at the premiere of his new film, “Michael Clayton.” Clooney arrived with his girlfriend, Sarah Larson, who was also injured in Friday’s accident in New Jersey. “I’m doing fine, yeah — good, good, good,” Clooney told Associated Press Television at Monday night’s event. “I’m just, you know, dinged up a little bit.” Clooney, 46, and Larson were injured when their motorcycle and a car collided on a narrow road in Weehawken, across the Hudson River from New York. Larson was a passenger on the vehicle. Both were wearing helmets.

‘Halo’ games damaged

SEATTLE — Within hours after die-hard fans finally got their hands on a copy of “Halo 3,” blogs brimmed with reports that special limited-edition packaging is scratching the video game disks. Microsoft Corp., which owns the studio that makes “Halo 3,” responded quickly on its Xbox Web site with details for a replacement program. Customers can fill out a form and send in their scratched limited-edition disks for a free exchange through the end of December. Microsoft is selling the limited-edition version, which comes in a tin decorated with the “Halo 3” logo, for $70. A regular copy of the game costs $60, and a “legendary” version, which comes with a replica of the helmet worn by game protagonist Master Chief, costs $130. The game officially went on sale early Tuesday.

Today’s birthdays

Fitness expert Jack LaLanne is 93. Actor Kent McCord is 65. Singer Bryan Ferry is 62. Singer Olivia Newton-John is 59. Actress Linda Hamilton is 51. Country singer Doug Supernaw is 47. Actor Jim Caviezel is 39. Singer Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men) is 35. Tennis player Serena Williams is 26.