‘I thought I was going to die’: A-list actor jailed for violent assault
Actor Emile Hirsch has pleaded guilty to charges of assault and has been sentenced to 15 days in jail, following an incident at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
The Into The Wild star was arrested at TAO nightclub in Utah back in January, after a drunken altercation with Paramount film executive Daniele Bernfeld turned violent.
According to reports by TMZ at the time, Emile put Ms. Bernfeld in a chokehold after verbally abusing her. He "appeared intoxicated and asked Daniele why she looked so tough" before telling her "she was a rich kid who should not be at Sundance," the site added.
Ms. Bernfeld told police that she then walked away from the actor, but a few minutes later he came up behind her and choked her, pulling her across a table and sitting on top of her. She said she felt as if "the front and back of her throat were touching and she remembers things going dark."
A rep for the actor confirmed at the time that Emile had consumed "enormous amounts of alcohol" on the evening in question and was "devastated" by what he had done while under the influence.
Ms. Bernfeld told police that the whole incident was "insanely painful and absolutely terrifying," according to reports published by Associated Press. "It took two people to pull him off me, and if not for their intervention, the attack would have continued," she said. "I thought I was going to die."
The 32-year-old exec admitted that she was initially reluctant to press any charges because of the “sensitive nature” of her work and Emile's Hollywood status. However she soon changed her mind when she discovered that her name had already been leaked to the media in relation to the assault.
As well as the jail time and a $4,750 fine, Emile will also be required to complete 50 hours of community service for the charge to be dismissed.