Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts, who entered the national spotlight for allegedly “crying wolf” by claiming that her brief detainment by the LAPD in September was racially motivated, has been formally charged with lewd conduct. If convicted, she and her boyfriend Brian James Lewis, who was also charged, could face up to six months of jail time and a $1,000 fine.
Watts and Lucas were charged with one count of lewd conduct each, and their arraignment is scheduled for November 13, according to CBS News’ Los Angeles affiliate.
The couple was allegedly engaged in sexual acts in the passenger’s side seat of Watts’ vehicle last month in Studio City. Video footage of the incident showed Watts clearly straddling her partner, Lucas. Their action reportedly provoked employees at the nearby Director’s Guild to call local law enforcement to complain of indecent exposure, noting that the couple was disrupting the normal flow of business with their display in broad daylight.
Watts was briefly detained by the LAPD after she tried leaving the scene, and after refusing to show her ID to Sgt. Jim Parker, whom she alleged had acted out of racial motivations (and who was subsequently investigated by the LAPD). The handcuffs were removed once police were able to identify her.
In a September statement, Watts had maintained her belief that she was not obligated to furnish her ID to the police. “It is a constitutional right that we do not have to present ID to any member of law enforcement unless we are being charged with a crime,” she said.
Several civil rights activists, including Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson, had initially rallied behind Watts’ claims of racial profiling. However, they changed their tune after learning of the details surrounding her detainment, saying instead that she had “cried wolf… I was one that was very outspoken about it. We take racial profiling very seriously. It’s not a play thing. It’s not trivial.” Watts refused to apologize.
Breitbart News has learned that Sgt. Parker has been reassigned to the force’s detectives unit from patrol.
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