Shia LaBeouf Could Face Hate Crime Charges for Mardi Gras Incident
NEW ORLEANS, La. (KMDL-FM) - In the early morning hours of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Mardi Gras, actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested on Bourbon Street in New Orleans after NOPD received calls about aggressive behavior and an alleged assault at a French Quarter bar.
Once at the scene, police charged Shia LaBeouf with two counts of simple battery. The alleged victim in the assault, known only as Jeffrey, said LaBeouf used homophobic slurs during the assault.
Now, the victim is asking prosecutors to add hate crime charges to LaBeouf's charges.
Shia LaBeouf Could Face Hate Crime Charges
LaBeouf will appear in New Orleans' court today to face the two assault counts, but it's not yet known if procecuters will add the additional hate crime charge.
From WAFB.com -
A man identified only as Jeffrey said LaBeouf hit him and used homophobic slurs during confrontations at a Royal Street bar on Mardi Gras. Jeffrey is asking prosecutors to upgrade LaBeouf’s charges to include a hate crime.
Those allegations were not included in the initial charging paperwork. The New Orleans Police Department said the matter was still under investigation.
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Louisiana Hate Crime Laws
In Louisiana, if something is labeled as a hate crime, it's not treated as a separate crime but instead carries additional penalties on top of the original charges.
According to law.justia.com, if the accused is found guilty of the charges against them and the charges are elevated to a hate crime, the defendant can face an additional 6 months in jail and/or an additional fine of up to $500.
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If the defendant is facing and found guilty of a federal crime(s) and charges are elevated to a hate crime, the enhancement can add up to 5 years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
From law.justia.com -
Hate crime enhancements don’t replace the punishment for the original charge — they augment it. So someone convicted of, say, felony battery plus a hate-crime enhancement could face the base term for felony battery plus up to 5 more years.
Read more at WAFB.com.
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