'Men in Black' Star Rip Torn Pleads Guilty in Drunk Bank Break In
Rip Torn, the 79-year-old actor most famous for his role in the "Men in Black" movies and "The Larry Sanders Show," is making a name for himself in the legal field as well. Unfortunately this time Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith will not be able to save him.
The actor was arrested inside a Connecticut bank he drunkenly broke into thinking it was his own home. Torn was drunk and carrying a loaded gun at the time of the arrest.
On his recent day in court, the actor pleaded guilty to a laundry list of charges including: reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and illegally carrying a firearm. Luckily for the aging actor, he will not be serving any jail time for his offenses. Instead, Rip Torn was given alternative forms of sentencing which will hopefully serve to rehabilitate Torn, who has a history of alcohol-related problems with the law.
The Los Angeles Times reports that as part of his probation he will be subject to random drug and alcohol testing as well as banned from possessing a firearm. Alternative sentencing is a popular approach to rehabilitating criminal behavior. As seen in the case of Rip Torn, he is being punished but his punishment is also aimed at mandating that his behavior change.
Of course, just because Rip Torn avoided jail does not mean that it is absolute. The terms of a probation are taken very seriously and violating probation can end in an increase in the terms of probation as well as jail time. Rip Torn has been in and out of various inpatient and outpatient rehabs since the drunk bank break in, hopefully a judicial sobriety requirement will help him get a handle on his drinking.
Related Resources:
- Rip Torn Enters Plea Deal in Bank Arrest (LA Times)
- Alternative Sentencing (FindLaw)
- Torn Still Tearing it Up: Arrested for Burglary at 78 (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)