Russell Crowe Pleads Guilty

Actor Russell Crowe (Gladiator) pleaded guilty to third-degree assault Friday, a charge brought on when he threw a phone and hit Manhattan hotel concierge Nestor Estrada in June. He was taken into custody and charged with felony second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Kathryn Freed issued Crowe a "conditional discharge," which mandates good behavior for a year or guaranteed jail time. Had the Australian actor Crowe been found guilty, he could have received jail time and lost the right to work in the U.S. "My client has admitted he overreacted and he is very happy to have this resolved and move on with his life," said Crowe's lawyer, Gerald Lefcourt. Crowe attributed to his behavior to his having difficulty reaching his wife Danielle Spencer in Australia.