Monday could have seen the resolution of the lawsuit a paparazzo brought against a group of surfers whom some consider heroic.
On June 212008 a couple surfers demanded that a group of paparazzi who were seeking a lucrative surf photo of Matthew McConaughey leave Point Dume and challenged them to a fight.
L.A. prosecutors charged surfers Skylar Peak25 and Philip Hildebrand31 with misdemeanor battery for allegedly throwing French paparazzo Rachid Aitmbareck into the ocean. They have since been awaiting trial.
On Monday however the Malibu Superior Court Judge Lawrence J. Mira declared a mistrial after being informed that Peak’s mother sustained serious injuries when her car went over a cliff on Decker Canyon Saturday.
After speaking to Peak’s attorney Harland Braun Mira determined that Peak could not concentrate on the trial during this time.
Malibu residents will have to wait until June to see this controversial case unfold.
“If I had to choose a side I’d go with the surfers Pepperdine senior Lauren Aldrich said. I’m not a fan of the paparazzi.”
Working as manager at Malibu Kitchen Aldrich has seen her fair share of celebrities endure bombardment by paparazzi. She explained how Malibu Kitchen allows some celebrities to come in through the back entrance to avoid this.
In spite of these accommodations sometimes celebrities cannot get away from the flashing cameras. “The paparazzi will track what [celebrities] do” and go to places they frequent like Malibu Kitchen when they expect celebrities to show up.
Aldrich said paparazzi bother her because celebrities come to Malibu to get away from the L.A. commotion. “I feel like they’re really invading privacy [in] Malibu Aldrich said. It makes sense at a red carpet or a gallery opening but not here.”
Aldrich who lived on Point Dume during the time of the surfer-paparazzi scuffle said that you would be hard-pressed to find a Malibu resident who sides with the paparazzo. “Any person who lives in Malibu or are regulars at a place like Malibu Kitchen would side with the surfers she said.
Junior Coulter Miller, who had a run-in with the paparazzi while working at the Burton store in Los Angeles, has similar sentiments.
They have no regard for [celebrities’] privacy Miller said.
Judging from how he’s seen paparazzi treat others, Miller said he believes the surfers’ actions are justifiable. Maybe [the surfers overreacted] but they were just looking out for the privacy of the group he said.
Aldrich recalled witnessing paparazzi harass Julia Roberts at How’s Market while she was babysitting a little girl. The situation upset the girl so much that she started to cry and was too afraid to enter the store.
She has also witnessed paparazzi hound celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld, who semi-frequently cruises to Malibu Kitchen from Santa Barbara in his Porsche on Sundays.
In view of these frequent pesky paparazzi encounters, Malibu residents will most likely be rooting for the renegade surfers in June.
I think everyone agrees that this is our home and the paparazzi need to get out of here Aldrich said.
