George Michael Fights Unfit Charge
As far as George Michael is concerned, being found passed out behind the wheel of his car with a small amount of marijuana at his side does not an unfit driver make.
Though on that point he admittedly differs from the London Metropolitan Police.
The former Wham! singer pleaded not guilty to the ungentlemanly motoring charge in London court Wednesday, stemming from his arrest last fall when police responded to complaints that the '80s icon's car was blocking a North London intersection.
The 43-year-old pop star was not present at the Brent Magistrates Court; his attorney, Keima Payton, entered the not guilty plea on his behalf.
Payton based Michael's claim of innocence for the unfit driving charge on the fact that blood samples taken the night of his arrest were done so illegally, thus voiding their results.
A pretrial hearing, which Michael again won't be required to attend, has been set for Mar. 7 and will determine whether or not the results of the test will be admissible during the singer's trial, itself scheduled to take place April 23.
Michael, whose real name is George Panayiotou, was arrested in the early hours of Oct. 1. Police, responding to several calls made by concerned—and annoyed—drivers about a stationary vehicle at a North London traffic light, found him slumped over in his BMW. Witnesses said they phoned the police only after their attempts at waking Michael via honking and window-banging proved fruitless.
The pop star was given a Breathalyzer test, which he reportedly failed, and police also found a small amount of pot in his pocket.
The roadside sleeping-beauty routine was nothing new for Michael, who suffered through a nearly identically embarrassing arrest in February 2006, when police found the "Freedom" singer slumped over in his BMW, this time in possession of cannabis, liquid Ecstasy and an assortment of sex toys. He was released with a caution.
But there is one road on which Michael has a decent track record: the comeback trail.
Legal hiccups aside, the "Faith" purveyor's career resurrection has been continuing apace. Michael recently wrapped up the British leg of 25 Live, his first concert tour in nearly 15 years, and is expected to bring the show Stateside early this spring.
And it looks like he'll have a tidy sum for his legal defense fund.
On New Year's Eve, the singer gave a private performance at the party of Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin, singing and dancing for 300 guests for roughly an hour. He took home $2.9 million for the event and made it home by morning.
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