Man who destroyed Trump's Walk of Fame star returns brass pieces to police
LOS ANGELES _ The man who smashed President Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star with a sledgehammer and pickax last year won't be auctioning off the brass pieces as he had hoped. Instead, he's returned the metal bits to police, his attorney said.
After destroying the star, James Otis took the TV emblem at its center, as well as some of the letters in Trump's name and a small piece of the star. Otis said he planned to auction the pieces off to raise cash for women who had accused Trump of assault, as well as a college organization that works to end sexual violence on campuses.
Earlier this week, however, attorney Mieke ter Poorten told the Los Angeles Times that her 53-year-old client had returned the bronze medallions to authorities because auctioning them would be against the law.
On Tuesday, the Beverly Hills resident pleaded no contest to one count of felony vandalism following the Oct. 26, 2016, incident.
In a hearing in Los Angeles, Otis was sentenced to three years' formal probation and 20 days of work with the California Department of Transportation, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
He also was ordered to pay $3,700 to the Hollywood Historic Trust and $700 to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for the damage.
_Los Angeles Times
