Boy George Wanted...in Custody

Fri., Jun. 16, 2006 6:25 PM PDT by Natalie Finn

Boy George's next prominent fashion accessory might be handcuffs.

After George failed to show up for a Friday court date, a Manhattan judge issued a warrant for his arrest. However, Judge Anthony Ferrara said that he's not going to order any action to be taken until after a June 26 hearing on whether the former Culture Club singer violated the terms of a sentence he's serving for filing a false police report.

George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, pleaded guilty to falsely reporting a burglary in March to avoid jail time he could have incurred after being booked on suspicion of possessing drugs in October 2005. He was arrested after police, responding to a 911 call from George saying he'd been robbed, found cocaine in the musician's Little Italy apartment. Authorities later released a complaint saying they had discovered more than 13 bags of cocaine on the premises.

After cutting a deal a few months ago, George was sentenced to five days of community service and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and enroll in rehab.

The "Crying Game" singer was expected in court Friday to explain why he wants to change his sentence. Ferrara shot down the ideas George had put forth so far about fulfilling his community service duties, including his suggestions of holding a fashion and makeup workshop, helping teenagers make a public service announcement and serving as a deejay at an HIV/AIDS benefit, the Associated Press reported.

Assistant District Attorney Craig Ortner called George's no-show move "audacious" in court and told the judge that he objected to any commutation of the singer's sentence.

"The defendant got a good deal," Ortner said. "He got a fair deal."

Ferrara also noted that George had not yet paid his fine nor appeared at the office that assigns court-ordered community service.

"I put people in jail who don't pay fines," he said. "Why shouldn't I do that?"

George's attorney, Louis Freeman, said that his client hoped to do more for the community than sweeping streets and sidewalks.

"There's nothing wrong with that if that's part of his punishment," Freeman said, "but it will turn into a media circus and the press will be following him every day."

Ferrara concurred that street-sweeping would be a "humiliation", but said that George "got out from under a felony and he took a deal that had an element of humiliation. And he doesn't serve himself well by not paying the fine. We know he has the means."