News

Arrest Warrant Issued for Snoop Dogg

Many travelers have been inconvenienced by increased federal security regulations on items allowed aboard aircraft, and Snoop Dogg is no exception. On September 27, Snoop was about to take off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, when an astute security person noticed that the rapper's laptop case was actually holding a collapsible baton. No liquids, no collapsible batons... What's next?

Snoop said that the baton was simply a stage prop. Nonetheless, an arrest warrant was issued for Snoop, who has frequently been on the wrong side of the law (including a conviction for cocaine possession and another recent airport arrest, when he was found illegally parked at LA's Burbank Airport with marijuana and an unregistered gun in his car). If found guilty this time around, Snoop would face a maximum of three years in prison.

"He either turns himself in or he gets picked up by law enforcement," said Susan Schroeder, a spokeswoman for the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

"This charge mocks the protections our country has in place to safeguard itself from real security threats and is celebrity head-hunting by attention-seeking prosecutors," said Snoop spokeswoman Meredith O'Sullivan.

In case you're curious, normally it's only a misdemeanor charge to attempt to get a collapsible baton through airport security. Because of Snoop's troubled background, the prosecutors instead pushed for a felony charge.

At press time, Snoop has still not surrendered himself to OC authorities. He and his baton remain at large.

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
11.03.06