Theft and Dennis Rodman Legal Troubles

Posted on: May 18, 2009 at 2:19 p.m.

Former Los Angeles Laker and NBA superstar Dennis Rodman recently found himself in an embarrassing position when a Miami Beach, Florida restaurant accused him of skipping out on his dinner bill. According to Philippe Chow restaurant manager Aris Nanos, Rodman and a group of his friends visited the restaurant and ran up a $1,000 bill, then left without paying. Nanos caught up with the group halfway down the street, where someone from Rodmans party punched him. Police eventually arrived and the bill was paid. No charges were filed against Rodman.
While the dispute was, in fact, resolved, Rodman could have potentially been charged with theft. In Los Angeles, the difference between Theft and Grand Theft is just $400. If the dollar value of the goods stolen (or, in this case, not paid for0 is less than $400, then the charge is Theft, which generally gets a sentence of one to three years of probation as well as restitution and a small fine. A smaller theft offense might also be reduced from a misdemeanor criminal offense to an infraction, which would at least not show up on your criminal record.
If a situation similar to Rodmans had happened here in Los Angeles, Grand Theft charges might have applied because the $1,000 bill in question was wall above the $400 threshold. Whether or not the theft would be classified as a misdemeanor or a felony offense is debatable and would depend on the particular details of the case. The punch the restaurant manager received might have been a detail of some importance, potentially pushing the charge into felony territory. A conviction on such a charge could land you in a state prison for up to 16 months, along with potential fines, court-ordered counseling, restitution, community service, probation or parole or any combination of them all.

The defendants prior criminal history could also factor into what kind of sentence could be handed down. Judges are less likely to be lenient to someone with a criminal record that includes several prior theft convictions. An experienced criminal defense attorney can make a big difference in a case like this. Details such as Rodmans assumption that his bill would be comped by the restaurant would help his case, as would any kind of dispute as to who in the party should have paid the bill.

If you have been accused of theft in Los Angeles, call the attorneys at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP today to begin preparing your defense.

Tagged as: california criminal laws

Comments:

Anna Tutundjian CS 139 on June 13, 2009 at 3:21 p.m. wrote:

Although, this particular case raises questions of preferential treatment for celebrities, there is, as Austin stated, a lot of gray area. Although, when we think of theft, we usually think of walking into a store and stealing something, eating and not paying a check, is equally theft. $1,000 is not a small figure and although Rodman was with a big group of friends, so there may have been confusion as to who has to pay, there's more to the story. For instance, like the previous blogger cited, leaving without paying isn't uncommon for Rodman. Also, if they were completely innocent and merely forget to pay then why did they resort to punching the worker? Sure, some other confrontation may have occurred, but it's really hurting their case. Perhaps, they did forget, but based on the sequence of events and Rodman's past, that doesn't seem to be the case and the only way one to prevent future such occurrences is to punish and teach the culprits a lesson

Anjelica Sarmiento (UCLA) on June 12, 2009 at 7:06 p.m. wrote:

I feel, in this case, that Dennis Rodman should have been convicted of theft. Despite the fact that the bill was later paid, there are more sound reasons to convict rather than not convict. For one thing, the bill clearly passed the threshold for theft in the state of Florida. There is nothing questionable about this fact. Secondly, the behavior of his party indicates the intention to leave without paying. Why else would they respond violently? It is also important to consider what Vincent brought up, regarding Rodman's history: was this an isolated event, or a recurring pattern? Clearly, walking out on this bill is nothing new to the superstar. Finally, speaking of his status, I agree completely with Theresa on her opinion that being a celebrity is all the more reason to pay. Unless Rodman previously had an established relationship with the owner where the tabs were normally taken care, this may prove to be a different case. Otherwise, there is no grounds to make the assumption of a free meal, something not applicable here.

Vincent Palladino on June 12, 2009 at 6:14 p.m. wrote:

According to a Hollywood Back Wash post, walking out on a restaurant/bar bill seems to be an alleged bad habit of Dennis Rodman. After denying that he walked out on a $1,000 bill at a Miami beach restaurant, Page Six reported that Rodman skipped out on a even bigger check at the same hotel at restaurant Philippe. Perhaps the management of future restaurant establishments visited by Rodman should obtain his credit card information BEFORE serving food and beverages.

Brian Ryoo on June 12, 2009 at 11:10 a.m. wrote:

I consider theft to be one of the bigger violations of our society. It is built on the principle of private ownership and property rights. Theft is a direct violation of those basic principles. What Dennis Rodman did may seem harmless enough - the bill was paid after all - he still showed through this actions disrespect for another person's right to property. I believe that such violations should result in some kind of compensation for the victim. It seems that the punishment for theft is strictly about jail time. But the real damages were the breach of property rights that the thief caused on the victim. He should be compensated for that. For example, the convicted thief could be forced to pay the victim quadruple the amount that was stolen. While the deterrent power of such a measure would not necessarily be great for small thefts, at least the owner will have been compensated for having one of her basic rights be violated.

Theresa Fiddler on June 9, 2009 at 8:23 p.m. wrote:

The potential assumption on Rodman's behalf that he should not have to pay because he is famous speaks volumes about the poor sense of values that so may people posess and the sense of entitlement that celebrites in America have. The fact that Rodman is a celebrity should be all the more reason that is expected to pay. It's not as if he is destitute and can not come up with the money. I feel this case is simply a test on behalf of the Rodman party to see how much they could get away with. Unfortunately, with the law as lenient as it is, they ended up getting away with the crime (even though they paid the bill). Probation and no jail time for theft is ridiculous. Stealing $399 is a big deal, for that could be a person's weekly or even monthly income. And to punish a person who does that with mere probation is insulting to the victim. People to think before they act or perhaps consult someone wiser if they can not think for themselves; but either way theft is a crime and I feel that jail time (at least 6 months to a year) is a perfect punishment for it.

Jordan MacDonald (UCLA) on June 8, 2009 at 9:20 p.m. wrote:

Although I agree with Austin that the bottom line was that the bill was paid, I do not think that the case can be resolved that simply. There is, indeed, a lot of gray area in this case. However, the fact that his friend punched the manager leads me to believe that the event was not simply poor communication. Rather, it appears to be an intentional act. More detail on the exact circumstances of the night would need to be scrutinized and I admit that it is not a case with an exceedingly apparent verdict. Lastly I agree that the point of a threshold would be undermined if a defendant was to simply get off easier because they were famous.

Austin Henderson (UCLA) on June 6, 2009 at 5:33 p.m. wrote:

After reading this case I initially felt that Rodman should be charged for theft (or grand theft as it was 1,000 dollars worth of food and drink) but it seems there is a lot of gray area here. Rodman and his friends leave without paying which is obviously breaking the law. But let's say it was a family on vacation in Florida and they forgot to pay the bill. The manager comes over, there is an initial conflict but ultimately the bill is paid. Obviously the punch one of the friends threw makes the defendants look guilty. This could be merely poor communication between Rodman and his friends as to who was going to pay the bill. The bottom line is that the bill was paid.

Jennifer Phan on June 5, 2009 at 9:25 a.m. wrote:

Dennis Rodman’s case raises questions as to whether or not his fame played a factor in his sentencing. If we took Dennis Rodman out of the equation that night at the restaurant, how fair or severe would the conviction be? Countless thefts occur often and are committed by individuals who are not as famous. I understand there is a threshold that differentiates between theft and grand theft but what’s the point of a threshold when one party may get off with a lighter sentence because of his or her fame…

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