Ariana Grande and the Law

By James Hirsen

Ariana Grande has been on a career roll. She has enjoyed a string of chart-topping hits, accrued a huge fan base, and secured a starring role in a high-profile television show, which is set to air soon. All of her success aside, the pop singer may now have caused irreparable damage to her brand, and in the process, earned herself a serious rap sheet.

In our ultra-technologically advanced society, most people realize that public places are, more often than not, under surveillance 24/7. However, in a single visit to a Southern California donut shop, Grande somehow let that factoid slip her celebrity mind. She and boyfriend-backup dancer Ricky Alvarez maliciously tried to hurt people by contaminating with their saliva some of the confections that were within their reach in the shop. Additionally, Grande made derogatory comments about America and Americans. The disgusting behavior and offensive remarks were captured on video and splattered across the Internet.

As the terrible story of Grande’s misadventures was going viral, some celebrities were weighing-in via their social media sites. The most irresponsible statement came from actress Susan Sarandon, who recklessly called for others to engage in the same deleterious behavior. "Today, lick a doughnut in solidarity with @ArianaGrande. A sweet, talented, true American," Sarandon posted on her Twitter page. Criminal behavior is what Grande and her boyfriend perpetrated, and criminal behavior is what Sarandon encouraged Twitter followers to replicate.

Section 242 of the California Penal Code defines a criminal battery as "any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another," and section 243 of the code makes the crime punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and/or up to six months in jail. Placing one's bodily fluid on a food item that is highly likely to be consumed by another person is clearly criminal battery under California law, and the local police are acting accordingly. Police personnel, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, met with the owner of the donut shop to investigate "a report of deliberate food tampering." The surveillance footage from the donut shop should provide local authorities with the evidence they need to carry out their law enforcement duties, and if justice prevails Grande and her boyfriend will ultimately be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. [more...]