A judge in Arizona yesterday gave permission for police to release a video of Diana Ross being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving – though audio will not be included. Ross’ lawyers argued the video was only recorded when officers realised who they were charging, and that therefore it had not been used as part of legitimate police work. They also reckoned screening the video would affect Ross’ chances of a fair trial. The courts previously put a temporary ban on police releasing the tape to the media pending yesterday’s hearing. The tape should be with media outlets by the end of the week.
Elsewhere in the world of musicians driving badly - Queen Latifah has pleaded no contest to charges of reckless driving to avoid facing a trial on charges of drink driving. She was stopped by LA police in November for making an unsafe lane change. She failed a sobriety test and subsequently faced two drink driving charges. But lawyers representing Queen Latifah said the rapper and actor would accept driving recklessly if the drink drive charges were dropped. She was fined $300, sentenced to three years' informal probation and ordered to take part in a 12-hour alcohol education scheme.