Justin Bieber: Argentina Judge Claims Evidence ‘He Didn’t Want His Pictures Taken’
The investigative judge who summoned Justin Bieber to appear before an Argentine court within 60 days, claims there is enough evidence against the singer to question him over an alleged criminal assault by his bodyguards.
The 20-year-old is accused of ordering his bodyguards to assault a nightclub photographer outside Buenos Aires’ nightclub INK on November 9, 2013, during the South American leg of his Believe tour.
Speaking to the Associated Press on Friday, Judge Facundo Cubas said,
“The evidence from witnesses, footage and photos shows that he [Bieber] didn’t want his pictures taken. That led his bodyguards to chase down after the photographers and it was followed by a beating.”
However, it remains to be seen if such “evidence” of Bieber allegedly indicating he didn’t want his photos taken, rises to an actual order to his bodyguards to allegedly attack the shutterbug.
That distinction will be crucial, as there already appears to be a will to prosecute Bieber in Argentina.
Argentine photographer Diego Pesoa alleges he was kicked and punched by members of Bieber’s security detail, after they finished escorting the black-sheet covered singer to a waiting van believed to be full of girls from the INK nightclub, in Buenos Aires, following a night of partying after a concert the night before.
“Bieber has to come to Argentina, and it won’t be to sing,” Matias Morla, Pesoa’s lawyer, told C5N TV. He claims Bieber ordered bodyguards to attack the paparazzo and that his client’s resulting injuries led to hospital treatment.
The lawyer has since tweeted a picture of Judge Cubas’ summons and a baiting picture of Bieber in his jail outfit, taken when he appeared via video link before a judge after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Miami on January 23, 2014.
— MATIAS MORLA (@MatiasMorlaAb) November 13, 2014
“Coming soon,” Moral tweeted with the picture (shown below) of Bieber.
According to an Inquisitr source, Matias is talking up a storm to Argentine media outlets, which raises serious questions about possible jury-pool tainting.
Proximamente… pic.twitter.com/brfH9IME06
— MATIAS MORLA (@MatiasMorlaAb) November 13, 2014
Cubas summoned Bieber for questioning on Thursday, and has asked the international police organization Interpol to notify the singer that he has 60 days to appear. The judge said he will issue an international arrest order if Bieber does not show up before the court within that period.
Hugo Hesny, who is one of the bodyguards accused of the alleged assault of Pesoa, has also been summoned to appear.
Under Argentine law, the “Boyfriend” singer would face up jail time from one month to one year in prison if he is convicted on a charge of causing injuries, the judge told AP.
Bieber’s South American leg was noted for critical headlines.
After he was accused of defiling the Argentine flag onstage at a November 9 show in the capital, the star apologized in a nine-message Twitter statement four days later, stating he intended no “disrespect.”
At a next night concert, Bieber was forced to abort his performance after he was taken ill from food poisoning, although he did attempt to struggle through for about 40 minutes.
Before arriving in Argentina, the singer was spotted spray-painting graffiti in Colombia and on the wall of a disused hotel in Brazil.
Bieber was later charged (in absence) with vandalism for the graffiti in Brazil.
Following his breakup with actress-singer Selena Gomez, Bieber has been on a religious intensive under the guidance of his spiritual adviser, Pastor Carl Lentz, of Hillsong Church NYC.
He attended multiple church services in New York as well as a Bible study meet with the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL team on November 8.
Lentz recently told the New York Post,
“I have a special role in Justin’s life, spiritually, but…I’m not a life-motivational guy,” before adding, “We’re talking about making sure his life remains a blessing, not a burden.”
Of the singer’s scrapes and ongoing legal troubles, the 36-year-old pastor noted, “He’s on a journey. If he’s not doing good, should we abandon him?”
Justin has now returned to Los Angeles, and was spotted leaving the E Baldi restaurant in Beverly Hills on Friday.
As yet, reps for the singer have not commented on the Argentina court summons or arrest threat.
[Images via Dave Spencer / Instagram.]
