Actor Emile Hirsch began serving 15 days in a Utah jail on Monday for putting a woman film studio executive in a choke hold at a nightclub during the Sundance Film Festival.
Hirsch, known for his roles in the movies "Lone Survivor" and "Speed Racer," entered a guilty plea in Summit County for his altercation with Daniele Bernfeld, a Paramount Pictures' digital vice president on Jan. 25,
according to Deadline.com. He could have received up to five years in prison.
Hirsch was arrested at the TAO nightclub in Park City after the assault on Bernfeld. Deadline.com said she had rejected his advances. The celebrity website said the actor entered rehab shortly after the incident.
TMZ said Hirsch pleaded to misdemeanor assault and if he completes his sentence, serves 50 hours of community and pays a $4,750 fine, the charge eventually will be dismissed.
Bernfeld said in a statement read in court that Hirsch's attack was unprovoked,
said The Associated Press.
"It took two people to pull him off me, and if not for their intervention, the attack would have continued," said Bernfeld. "I thought I was going to die."
Her attorney, Don Etra, said Bernfeld was disappointed the light sentence.
"If a violent attack in front of a roomful of witnesses can be labeled a misdemeanor and dismissed, what of women who are assaulted while alone in hallways or bathrooms, or behind the closed doors of their own homes?" said Etra reading from a statement by Bernfeld.
Hirsch told the court he couldn't remember what led to the attack but took responsibility, saying there was "no excuse" for his behavior, reported Deadline.com. The "Bonnie and Clyde" actor also issued an apology to Bernfeld.
He was charged in the incident on Feb. 12 and told the court in an appearance on March 16 that he still had no memory of what happened.
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