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American Morning
Showbiz Today Reports: Downey Jr. to be Arraigned for Drug Possession
Aired May 24, 2001 - 10:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A Hollywood actor makes yet another court appearance, while some other big screen stars prepare for their small screen debut.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The court blotter there looking like movie credits at times.
CNN's Michael Okwu is in New York, and he has details in our "Showbiz Reports."
Hello, Michael.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Miles, good morning Daryn, good morning everyone.
Robert Downey Jr. returns to a California courtroom this morning for arraignment on drug charges. The 36-year-old actor faces one felony count of cocaine possession and a second count of Valium possession. Yesterday prosecutors agreed to reduce the latter charge to a misdemeanor.
CNN's Frank Buckley is in Indio, California with more.
Frank, what's going on?
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael, this is going to be the first time we're seeing Robert Downey Jr. since his arrest for suspicion of being under the influence in late April in Culver City out side of a motel here in southern California.
The case here in the desert of southern California, in Indio, where we are, has to do with an earlier arrest. That was in late November, the Thanksgiving Day weekend at a Palm Springs area hotel. That's where police went, alerted by an anonymous 911 caller. They say they found Downey there under the influence. They also found cocaine and Valium.
That is what Downey is facing here today in Indio. A number of procedural matters set. We might hear the setting of the preliminary hearing date. Also, Downey expected to enter the not guilty on that reduced misdemeanor charge. It should take about 15 or 30 minutes; then Downey will be heading back to a drug treatment facility where he has been since that arrest in late April -- Michael. OKWU: Frank, I don't know how much contact you've had with him, how much access to him, but has anyone reported, or does anyone know what he has been like -- what is his state of mind at this point?
BUCKLEY: I talked to one of his attorneys yesterday, and he said that he's in much better shape than he was the last time they spoke with him. He has been in and out of drug treatment facilities, he knows the routine. He is back into one of those routines, and as you might imagine, many people in the Hollywood community are just simply hoping that he is able to get on that road to sobriety.
OKWU: Thank you Frank Buckley in Indio, California. We'll have more on that story as it develops.
Later on "Showbiz Today Reports," the times area-changing. Music icon Bob Dylan turns 60 today. We'll take a look at his life and career, and his influence on music and pop culture. That's at 4:35 p.m. today.
In New York, I'm Michael Okwu; let's go back to Miles and Daryn in Atlanta.
KAGAN: All right, thank you so much.
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