Emile Hirsch pleaded guilty on Monday to misdemeanor assault following an altercation at the Sundance Film Festival.
Hirsch was accused of putting Paramount studio executive Daniele Bernfeld in a chokehold on Jan. 25 at Tao Nightclub in Park City.
The “Into the Wild” star avoided a maximum stint of five years in prison. Instead, he’ll spend 15 days in jail, pay a $4,750 fine and perform 50 hours of community service, the Associated Press reports. The charge will be dismissed once he completes the sentence.
Hirsch told the court there is “no excuse” for his behavior, which was “wrong” and “reckless.” He also apologized to Bernfeld, who said Hirsch deserved stricter punishment for his actions in a statement read in court on her behalf. Bernfeld also said she thought she was going to die that day.
According to court documents, an intoxicated Hirsch approached Bernfeld about 3:15 a.m. Jan. 25 and grabbed her. He allegedly put her in a chokehold shortly afterward, during a separate encounter, and pulled her across a table and onto the floor. He then landed on top of her and wrapped his hands around her neck.
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Hirsch’s lawyer previously said Hirsch was too intoxicated at the party to remember the encounter. Hirsch checked into rehab shortly following the charges.
“Emile consumed an enormous amount of alcohol on the evening in question and he has no memory of what happened,” Hirsch’s lawyer, Robert Offer, said in statement in mid-February.
