Into the Wild‘s Emile Hirsch is heading into jail for 15 days after pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault in Utah. The charge stemmed from a January incident at the Sundance Movie Festival, where Emile put female movie executive Daniele Bernfeld in a chokehold and “pulled her across the table and onto the floor.” Daniele told police it felt as though “the front and back of her throat were touching and she remembers things going dark.” Emile checked into rehab the following month.
“Emile consumed an enormous amount of alcohol on the evening in question and he has no memory of what happened,” the actor’s spokesperson said in February. “Emile takes these allegations very seriously, and is devastated that any of this has occurred.”
According to the Associated Press, Emile told the judge this month that he is sorry for his actions and has no excuses.
“I know it was completely wrong and reckless and irresponsible,” said Emile. “I have no excuses for not remembering. I put those chemicals inside me.”
In addition to serving 15 days in jail, Emile was ordered to pay a $4,750 fine, complete 50 hours of community service and must continue attending AA meetings. The more severe charge of felony assault will be dropped if he completes all of that.
In a statement, Daniele said she was disappointed with the outcome of sentencing. She argued, “If a violent attack in front of a roomful of witnesses can be labeled a misdemeanor and dismissed, what of women who are assaulted while alone in hallways or bathrooms, or behind the closed doors of their own homes?”
