Mingus Reedus, the 25-year-old son of actor Norman Reedus and supermodel Helena Christensen, has reportedly been arrested and charged with assault.
According to USA Today, yesterday, New York City police responded to a call for an assault in progress and found a 33-year-old woman with “minor” neck and leg injuries. Mingus was subsequently arrested and charged with criminal obstruction of breathing and assault. He entered a plea of not guilty, and the investigation remains ongoing.
In video footage taken at the time of his arrest, Mingus described the incident as a “misunderstanding.” His lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, told USA Today that more information will come to light as the case progresses. “Mingus is presumed innocent and has pled not guilty,” she said. “As the facts emerge, his innocence will become clear.”
Mingus’s arrest comes three years after he was arrested for assaulting a 24-year-old woman at the San Gennaro festival in New York City. According to People, the woman claimed she got into an argument with a man — later identified as Mingus — that allegedly turned physical when he punched her in the face. She was subsequently taken to the hospital for an injury below her left eye.
Mingus told the New York Daily News he was trying to protect himself from the woman, whom he claimed was drunk, after she and her friends “swarmed” him and his friends at the festival. He said he tried protecting himself by throwing “his arm out,” but struck her by mistake.
“It was instinct,” he claimed. “I was reacting to them swarming me and was afraid for the safety of my group.”
According to People, Mingus ultimately accepted a plea deal in that case, pleading guilty to disorderly conduct. He received a conditional discharge and was required to attend private counseling sessions.
Mingus is Norman’s only child with Helena, whom he dated from 1998 to 2003. He also shares one child, daughter Nova, 6, with his now-wife, Diane Kruger. Mingus has followed in his mother’s footsteps to become a model, having walked runways for major fashion brands including Versace and Calvin Klein.
We’ll update this story if there are any further updates.
