14 DAY TRIAL // Gary Dourdan, the handsome actor who starred as Warrick Brown on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” between 2000 and 2008, when he was let go amid reports that he had become unmanageable and asked for too much money, is going through a very rough patch. Again.
Dourdan filed for bankruptcy in November 2012 and, later that same month, pleaded no contest to a domestic violence case stemming from an altercation with ex-girlfriend Nicole Cannizarro.
As part of that case, he got 5 years on probation and was ordered to pay restitution to Cannizarro, which he’s failed to do on the grounds that he’s bankrupt. Canizzarro is fighting back now.
Ex sues Dourdan, demands to be paid
Radar Online has obtained court documents in a new lawsuit filed by Canizzarro against the actor, in which she argues that his filing for bankruptcy shouldn’t affect her and that she should be paid the money she’s due because he broke her nose in the altercation.
The fact that he “intentionally, willfully, maliciously, recklessly, and wantonly caused bodily injury” to her should add more weight to her argument, it is said in the filing. Cannizzarro wants $110,000 (€89,759) in restitution and she obviously doesn’t care that Dourdan claims that he doesn’t have that kind of money anymore.
In fact, the celebrity publication says, Dourdan claims in his bankruptcy papers that he has only $20 (€16.3) cash and another $1,000 (€816) in savings: since he can’t afford to pay his debts (hence the bankruptcy filing), he can’t possibly come up with the kind of money she’s asking for as restitution.
Dourdan is now working on “Being Mary Jane,” which translates into a $11,500 (€9,384) monthly paycheck, but that doesn’t mean that he’s well off or in any position to pay his ex: after expenses, he’s only left with about $200 (€163.2) of that money each month, Radar informs.
The November 2011 attack
In November 2011, Dourdan and his live-in girlfriend Canizzarro got into a very heated argument, which quickly escalated. Before police arrived on the scene to break it up, he managed to punch her with such force in the face that he broke her nose.
At the time, it was said that drug abuse might have played a part in the dispute, mostly because Dourdan had a history of addiction. He had also been involved in several altercations that got plenty of media attention, so his highly flammable temper was no secret.
After the story of the beating made international headlines, Dourdan defended himself, telling the media that “I have been waiting a long time and I haven't had a voice. It has been rough, but [the public needs to get] all the right stuff. I did not do this,” and suggesting that Canizzarro was exaggerating because she knew that a payoff was possible, because he was a star.
Still, he pleaded no contest to the felony Corporal Injury to a Cohabitant of Former Cohabitant, which kept him out of jail, but on probation, doing drug counseling and community service.
It seems that Dourdan’s problems are far from over.
