Shia LaBeouf is headed to Rome after all. The 39-year-old actor, who faces multiple battery charges stemming from a Mardi Gras altercation in New Orleans, has been granted court approval to travel to Italy for his father’s baptism, just days after a different judge denied the same request.
The sudden reversal came on March 4 when Magistrate Judge Peter Hamilton signed off on LaBeouf’s travel request, according to court records and multiple officials with knowledge of the matter. The weeklong trip, originally scheduled for March 1-8, allows the actor to witness his father Jeff’s baptism in the Italian capital before returning to face his next court hearing on March 19.
LaBeouf’s initial request, filed during a February 26 court appearance before Judge Simone Levine, was denied largely because it lacked a detailed travel itinerary. Judge Levine, who ordered the actor to enroll in substance abuse treatment and post $100,000 bond, expressed concerns about whether LaBeouf took his “alcohol addiction seriously”.
“The court does not believe he understands the level of seriousness when it comes to these allegations,” Levine said during that hearing, noting that LaBeouf’s alleged behavior posed a threat to the LGBTQ+ community.
LaBeouf’s attorney, Sarah Chervinsky, returned to the same courthouse on March 4 with updated paperwork. This time, the request included a complete travel itinerary and accommodation details, the critical elements missing from the original filing. Magistrate Hamilton approved the revised request, allowing LaBeouf to make the trip while remaining out on bond.
The travel drama stems from a violent incident in the early morning hours of Mardi Gras, February 17, outside the R Bar in New Orleans’ Marigny neighborhood. Police allege LaBeouf punched two men and head-butted a third after being asked to leave the establishment for increasingly aggressive behavior.
According to sworn police statements, LaBeouf aimed anti-gay slurs at the alleged victims during the confrontation. One victim, identified as Jeffrey Damnit, a local entertainer who performs in drag, has spoken openly about hoping prosecutors pursue formal hate crime charges under Louisiana law, which allows enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by actual or perceived sexual orientation.
LaBeouf was initially released without bond within hours of his arrest, an unusually quick release during Mardi Gras when such processing typically takes longer. He was subsequently required to post $105,000 in bonds after the homophobic slur allegations became part of the court record.
The legal situation escalated on February 28 when LaBeouf was arrested again on an additional battery charge stemming from the same Mardi Gras incident. Court records show he was held only temporarily following that arrest.
In total, LaBeouf now faces multiple counts of simple battery. He has not yet entered a formal plea to any of the charges.
In an interview with the YouTube outlet Channel 5 following his initial arrest, LaBeouf addressed the incident, citing his “traditional Catholic” faith and claiming he felt threatened during the encounter. He asserted that the violence unfolded after “three gay dudes [were] next to me, touching my leg”.
“I got scared,” LaBeouf said. “I’m sorry, if that’s homophobic, then I’m that.” He also downplayed the role of alcohol in his behavior, suggesting his actions stemmed from a “Napoleon complex and a great deal of anger” rather than a drinking problem.
His attorney, Sarah Chervinsky, offered a different perspective during the February 26 hearing, arguing that “frankly, being drunk on Mardi Gras is not a crime”.
The case has drawn attention to whether LaBeouf is receiving different treatment than other defendants would in the New Orleans criminal justice system. His quick release after the initial arrest, followed by the sudden reversal on travel approval, has sparked debate about celebrity privilege.
Legal experts note that while it’s not unusual for defendants to gain permission to travel out of town while on bond, the circumstances surrounding LaBeouf’s case, including the initial denial followed by rapid approval once proper paperwork was filed, highlight the importance of procedural details in the justice system.
LaBeouf is expected to return from Rome in time for his March 19 court hearing. The judge has ordered him to stay away from the victims and the bar where the fight occurred as conditions of his release.
For now, the actor gets to witness his father’s baptism, a moment he described in court filings as significant for “religious purposes.” Whether the trip provides the spiritual grounding LaBeouf seeks, or simply delays the inevitable legal reckoning, remains to be seen.
