Alec Baldwin is going to take a little time to think about what he’s done. Last week, the actor pleaded guilty to a second-degree harassment violation and will need to pay a $120 fine and enter an anger management program. You may recall that last year, Baldwin was in a dispute with a stranger over a parking spot. He allegedly shoved and punched the man.
It all stemmed from the two squabbling over the parking spot, located in front of the actor’s Greenwich Village apartment in New York City. At the time, Alec was charged with attempted assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.
Alec has had angry outbursts in the past, most notably heard in a 2008 leaked voicemail of the actor leaving his daughter Ireland a voicemail message. He was heard yelling at her and calling her “a rude, thoughtless little pig.” His daughter was just 11 years old at the time of the voicemail.
When news of Baldwin fighting over the parking space made headlines, he went to Twitter to explain: “Normally, I would not comment on something as egregiously misstated as today’s story. However, the assertion that I punched anyone over a parking spot is false. I wanted to go on the record stating as much.”
Baldwin did admit to shoving the man, telling police at the scene: “He’s an a**hole. He stole my spot. I did push him.”
Prosecutor Ryan Lipes told Page Six: “We have had an opportunity to review video surveillance in this case, speak with the witnesses, review the medical records, and speak with the victim.”
Lipes added: “Given that Mr. Baldwin does not have a criminal record, we are prepared to offer a harassment violation in the second degree with the condition that he completes the short anger-management program.”
After pleading guilty to the harassment charge, the judge then ordered Baldwin to take a one-day anger management course before his next court date in March.
Baldwin was quite transparent about his court appearance on Twitter, giving the following details: “1 – At the Criminal Court bldg on Centre Street, I pled guilty to a charge of harassment, a violation. In that bldg today there are 3 murder trials scheduled, one involving a white supremacist who killed someone in Times Square. All the press was outside the courtroom I was in.”
He continued, noting: “2 – the press reported that I punched someone. That is untrue, and that is a serious charge. A man was punched in NY recently and died.”
Baldwin then shared his thought on the justice system, explaining: “3 – nothing that resembles justice ever enters or leaves any courtroom in this country.”
Finally, he noted: “4 – The vermin at Fox News continues to tell a story about ‘an alleged punch.’ There are three cameras in front of my bldg. It didn’t happen.”
Not everyone thought the punishment was just, however, as people weighed in on social media with their reactions. One person noted: “He’s an arrogant POS. He deserves more than anger management classes. He’s acted this way for years.”