TMZ is Exhibit A

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 1:26PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Harland Braun just told the judge, "We don't have a country where people come in and accept responsibility. He at least came in here and didn't even plead not guilty."

Braun then said, "When TMZ broadcast this (the PSA), they got six million hits, so young people must have watched this."
Lane's Lawyer -- The Dead Kid is Partly to Blame

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 1:22PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Garrison's lawyer Harland Braun just said, "Mr. Garrison should be sentenced based on the facts. He has a version in which he was approached to buy the alcohol and he inadvertently did it. He criminally caused the accident because he was a drunk driver. Suggesting Vahagn was partially at fault, Braun said, "The young man died because he was sitting in a car with a drunk driver."

As for the PSA, Braun said, "It was designed to be a depiction of how horrific this accident can be. It wasn't designed to be a recreation of this accident."

Braun continued, "This was a minor mistake in driving. Any drunk driver could have done it."

Braun then said, "The point we are trying to make is this is a tough case. Good people are drunk drivers."
Did Lane Get Dosed with Date Rape Drug?

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 1:15PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Garrison's lawyer, Harland Braun, just told the judge there is evidence that his client may have unwittingly consumed a spiked drink at the party before the fatal crash.

Braun said Lane told investigators that someone handed him an orange drink that "tasted somewhat salty."

Braun suggested the drink could have been spiked with GHB.
Garrison Could Dodge Bullet

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 1:04PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
After the dramatic testimony in Lane Garrison's sentencing, a dramatic twist just went down.

Garrison's lawyers, Richard Hutton and Harland Braun, have apparently asked the court for a "diagnostic." That means Garrison will be sent to a California prison for 90 days, where shrinks and others will determine if Garrison is a suitable candidate for probation.

Sources say behind closed doors, the D.A. vehemently opposed the judge's order, favoring four years hard time instead.

If the judge goes along with the defense request, the smart money is that the shrinks will say Garrison is a suitable candidate for probation and the judge will agree. That would mean Garrison would serve 90 days.

Garrison will probably spend the first 30 days in L.A. County Jail, waiting to be sent to prison for evaluation.

Garrison -- "This Is Not a Publicity Stunt"
Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:59PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Lane Garrison's first words on the stand, "I relive that night every day, and I think about the bad decisions I made."

Garrison went on, addressing Vahagn's parents, "All I can say to you is that I'm sorry. I tried to contact you every day. This PSA was not a publicity stunt." Garrison went on, "I don't want this to happen to anyone. We should think about our actions."

Garrison continued, "We can't bring him back, but I'm sorry for my behavior that evening and that is not representative of who I am usually."

Garrison added, "I also want to apologize to my family and friends for putting them through this."

Lane's Hard Life

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:57PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
As we wait for Lane to get rolling on the stand, the prior witness testified Garrison's childhood was tragic.

The witness said the Garrison family was poor. "When there was no food in his fridge, my mom would let me take food from my pantry to him."

The witness said Lane's mom died of a rare disease and his dad was abusive. Four years ago, Garrison's father died of cancer.

As Lane listened, he sobbed.
Lane on His Way to Stand

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:56PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Bulletin: Lane Garrison is about to take the stand.


Refresh for updates on testimony...
Garrison -- O Captain, My Captain!

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:49PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Marine Captain Dave Dixon is now on the stand. He said, "I don't see a famous celebrity actor. I still see my friend."

The Capt. continued, "This is not a situation that life gave Garrison. This is one he created." He went on, "Lane will stay sober and educate others."

Refresh for updates...

Garrison's First Witness
Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:43PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Feuds
Muse Watson, a veteran character actor, just got on the stand and said, "I realized what a horrible and terrible childhood he went through."

Watson also said Garrison had sympathy for his autistic daughter. He even brought Elmo to meet her." We believe Elmo is a dog.

Watson went on, "This is a very selfless person. This is a person who cares about other people. This is an extraordinary young man. This is an awful case."

Watson said, "He told me, 'Muse, I'm gonna plead guilty because it's best for the family.'"

By the way, Muse was an actor on "Prison Break" along with Garrison. Muse's character died at the end of the second season. Watson also played the victim of a drunken hit and run in the 1997 movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer."
Dad -- The Actor is Acting


Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:39PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
The father of the boy who died in Garrison's car just went after Lane with a vengeance.

"He is an actor. He is acting. He killed a human being and he killed our son."

The dad went on, "Yesterday was one of the hardest days. It was Vahagn's birthday. He would have been 18."
Victim's Dad -- Lane is Selfish

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:37PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
The father of the boy who died has just testified, saying of Garrison, "He's selfish. He took no responsibility. He could have come to us the next day and apologized, but he didn't."

Refresh for updates...
Vahagn's Parents on the Stand

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:35PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
The parents of of the boy who was killed in Garrison's vehicle are on the stand.

They began by thanking everyone, followed by, "The meaning of our lives was taken away. He was our only child." At that point, a number of people in the gallery burst into tears.

They added, "Nothing we say here today will bring Vahagn back."

Vahagn's Parents on the StandPosted Aug 2nd 2007 12:35PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
The parents of of the boy who was killed in Garrison's vehicle are on the stand.

They began by thanking everyone, followed by, "The meaning of our lives was taken away. He was our only child." At that point, a number of people in the gallery burst into tears.

They added, "Nothing we say here today will bring Vahagn back."
Garrison to Victim -- What Kind of Ghetto Party?

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:31PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Chen Sagi, who was also in Garrison's car, is now on the stand.

She is crying, testifying that "Vahagn went with us because he didn't want the two girls to go with a strange guy [Lane]." She added, "It is surprising that I felt guilt."

She said when she hooked up with Lane earlier in the evening and she and her friend invited him to a party, Lane said, "What kind of ghetto party are you guys going to?"

Garrison was visibly upset during this testimony.

Refresh for updates...
Victim's Father Upset by Garrison's PSA

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:26PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Michelle Ohana's dad is now on the stand, and testified he's really upset over Lane Garrison's recent public service announcement -- which first ran on TMZ.

It's fronted by a remorseful Garrison and shows a recreation of the fatal accident.
Victim Says Garrison Lied

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:23PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
One of the women who was in the car Lane Garrison crashed has just testified that to protect himself, Lane Garrison lied and said the boy who died was driving when it crashed.

Michelle Ohana, who was hospitalized, said, "I was in shock when I heard Vahagn [the boy who died] was driving. How could he lie to me when I was in the hospital?" As she said this, Garrison was shaking his head in disagreement.

Ohana, who was in a wheelchair for two months, said she stopped breathing in the hospital and her mom is so terrified she still checks her breathing at night.

Refresh for updates...
Counselor To Garrison -- You Must Go Down

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:15PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
The counselor just testified that Garrison should go to prison, reasoning that anything less "is a shame to the court system."

Refresh for updates!

90210 Counselor Says Students Were Overcome
Posted Aug 2nd 2007 12:10PM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
The testimony has begun in the Lane Garrison sentencing hearing.

You'll recall a 17-year-old student died in the car driven by an intoxicated Garrison, when the actor hit a tree in B.H.

A high school counselor is on the stand right now, testifying about how his students couldn't handle the grief. He said "I felt hopeless. I know they needed an opportunity to say goodbye. "

He went on "They were depressed, weren't eating, wouldn't leave the tree [that the car hit]".
Lane Arrives to Face the Music

Posted Aug 2nd 2007 11:59AM by TMZ Staff
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
TMZ was at a Los Angeles County Superior Court in Beverly Hills this morning when Lane Garrison arrived to court.

Our cameras also filmed friends of the victim, 17-year-old Vahagn Setian, as they walked into court. They told our cameras they thought Lane should get the "maximum" penalty and that Lane should have personally apologized to the family of the victim.

Lane is in court today for sentencing. During today's hearing, Garrison will endure grueling victim's impact statements from Setian's friends and family.

All from TMZ.com