Tamahori may learn his fate tomorrow

Lee Tamahori

Cross-dressing moviemaker Lee Tamahori may be sentenced on the spot when he appears in a Los Angeles courtroom tomorrow charged with propositioning a police officer.

The 55-year-old Once Were Warriors director is expected to enter formal pleas to two misdemeanour charges: agreeing to engage in an act of prostitution and unlawful loitering.

But Tamahori is not required to appear in person.

City attorney's office spokesman Frank Mateljan said yesterday that pleas could be entered through his counsel, celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos.

Tamahori was arrested on January 8 after allegedly approaching an undercover officer and offering to perform sex services for money on Hollywood's Santa Monica Boulevard.

He was wearing a black wig and off-the-shoulder dress at the time.

"The defendant was dressed in drag, loitering on the sidewalk," Mr Mateljan said then. "He was arrested after approaching an undercover officer who was sitting in his car and offering to perform a sex act."

The charges carry a maximum six months in prison, or US$1000 fine. Tamahori is free on US$2000 ($2950) bail.

Mr Mateljan yesterday told the Herald Tamahori had a choice of three pleas: not guilty, guilty, or no contest.

No contest is a plea where guilt is conceded, but no admission is made or defence offered.

It was possible the judge would sentence Tamahori straight away, Mr Mateljan said. However, he would not say if prosecutors would enter submissions at sentencing.

Though first-time offenders did not generally get jail, "all cases are taken on their merits, individually".

If Tamahori decides to defend the charges, the matter will proceed to a pre-trial (depositions) hearing in about a month.