‘Transformers’ Star Shia LaBeouf Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Assaulting Three People

Actor Shia LaBeouf has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to assault charges connected to an incident that took place during Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans.

LaBeouf appeared in court and admitted guilt to three counts of simple battery stemming from an altercation outside a bar in the city’s famous French Quarter. The actor, known for starring in films such as Transformers and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, received a six-month suspended sentence and will spend the next two years on probation.

As part of the agreement, LaBeouf must also complete an alcohol treatment program. He has additionally been ordered to stay away from both the victims involved in the incident and the bar where the confrontation occurred.

The case dates back to February when LaBeouf was arrested following a fight outside a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras festivities. According to police reports, video footage showed the actor, who was shirtless at the time, pushing one person to the ground and striking another individual in the face. Authorities alleged that the punch may have caused a serious nose injury.

Police also claimed that LaBeouf repeatedly used homophobic slurs during the confrontation and while officers were taking him into custody.

Following Wednesday’s sentencing, LaBeouf’s attorney Sarah Chervinsky said the actor wanted to accept responsibility for his actions.

She stated that LaBeouf wanted “to take accountability for his part in what happened” and described the incident as a “minor Mardi Gras bar tussle.”

Chervinsky also pushed back against suggestions that the incident was motivated by prejudice, saying there was “no evidence it was about bias or prejudice.”

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams said prosecutors consulted with the victims before reaching a plea agreement. According to Williams, the deal was only offered after confirming that the victims supported the resolution.

One of the individuals involved in the altercation, local entertainer Jeffrey Damnit, who police identified as Jeffrey Klein, has previously spoken publicly about the incident. He alleged that LaBeouf approached him earlier in the evening, pushed him from behind, used homophobic slurs, and threatened him.

Damnit’s attorney, Michael Kennedy, said he hopes the actor benefits from treatment and learns from the experience.

“In New Orleans we are all equal, we should all feel safe, and we don’t treat people different based upon relative fame,” Kennedy said.

The latest case is another legal issue in a long history of public controversies involving the actor. Over the years, LaBeouf has faced multiple arrests and criminal charges, including a 2017 arrest in New York and another arrest later that year in Georgia while filming The Peanut Butter Falcon.

In 2020, he was also charged with misdemeanor battery and petty theft in Los Angeles. That same year, singer and actress FKA twigs filed a lawsuit accusing LaBeouf of physical and emotional abuse during their relationship. The case was ultimately settled in 2025.

After his New Orleans arrest, LaBeouf was ordered to return to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. However, days later, he told journalist and YouTuber Andrew Callaghan that he did not believe alcohol was the main reason behind his behavior.

During that interview, LaBeouf said the issues were more connected to “anger and ego” than drinking. He also made controversial remarks about the incident and his interactions with members of the LGBTQ+ community.

LaBeouf first became famous as a child actor on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens before becoming a major Hollywood star. While his acting career has included several blockbuster films, his legal troubles and personal controversies have often drawn just as much attention as his work on screen.

With the plea deal now finalized, the actor will avoid jail time as long as he complies with the conditions of his probation and treatment program.

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