Video might hold key in Crowe assault case

LOS ANGELES - A secret video-tape has emerged as the key to Russell Crowe's guilt or innocence in the Manhattan hotel incident that has seen the actor labelled as "Psycrowe" and "The Madiator".

Crowe stayed in seclusion today as New York prosecutors analysed the tape and the world buzzed about his alleged early on Monday morning assault of a concierge with a telephone.

Crowe's self-imposed withdrawal from the media spotlight is likely to end as early as tomorrow on one of the world's biggest stages.

The US$20 million (US$28.34 million) a film New Zealand-born actor is scheduled to live up to his commitment of appearing on American TV talkshow The Late Show with David Letterman.

TV network CBS has been trumpeting tomorrow's exclusive interview with Crowe with regular promos and the talkshow's spokesperson confirmed Crowe had not cancelled his guest spot.

The interview was scheduled weeks ago to promote his new film Cinderella Man, but there was speculation Crowe would immediately flee to Australia to be with his wife Danielle Spencer and one-year-old son, Charles.

Crowe was not harnessed by bail restrictions by judge Martin Murphy during yesterday's brief appearance in a Manhattan courthouse so is free to return to Australia.

His next court appearance is September 14.

"He was released on his own recognisance," a spokesman for the New York District Attorney's Office told AAP today.

"That means he can go back to Australia if he wants."

A security camera located in the lobby of The Mercer Hotel, where Crowe allegedly threw a phone and struck 28-year-old concierge Nestor Estrada in the face, is believed to have captured the incident.

New York authorities and Crowe's Los Angeles publicist, Robin Baum, have offered contrasting views about what happened in the early hours of yesterday morning so the tape could be crucial.

"There is a video tape and it will likely be presented into evidence," the DA spokesman said.

The spokesman would not reveal specifics about what was on the tape, but when asked if it could hold the key to the case, the DA spokesman replied: "I guess so".

Baum said Crowe did toss a phone, but it did not strike Estrada in the face as authorities allege.

The criminal complaint filed against Crowe says he picked up a phone and threw it at Estrada, "hitting him in the face and causing a laceration and substantial pain".
Media reports said today after being struck, a frightened Estrada locked himself in an office in the hotel while colleagues made an emergency call to police.

When police arrived they arrested Crowe.

The Oscar winner was charged with assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and faces up to seven years in a New York jail.

Both police and Baum agree Crowe lost his temper because he was unable to call his wife Danielle Spencer in Sydney from his USUS$3,000 a night hotel suite at the Mercer.

It also emerged today Crowe spent the hours before the incident drinking beer at Manhattan's Australian-themed bar, Eight Mile Creek.

It is a popular retreat for Australians in New York as it is one of the few places in the US where Tooheys New and Coopers beer is sold. The bar's restaurant also offers meat pies and speciality Australian food such as barramundi.

Crowe was drinking Tooheys New, but was not drunk and was a gentleman, Eight Mile Creek manager Andrew Jordan, who served the Hollywood star, said.

"He came in and had a couple of drinks," Jordan, an Australian, said.

"He's been in a few times recently and he's an absolute gentleman.

"He's very generous and was buying drinks for the tables around him and was a lovely fellow."

Jordan said employees at Eight Mile Creek, located in the trendy NoLita district, were shocked when they read the headlines about Crowe's alleged assault at the Mercer Hotel.

"We were very surprised," Jordan said.

"There's a mystique about him about being an unruly Australian and whatever, but he's a fantastic bloke."

What happened after Crowe left the bar is not clear, but the assault charges led to plenty of creativity from headline writers at tabloid newspapers around the world.

New York papers dubbed Crowe "Jerkus Maximus", "Crowe-Magnon Man Goes Ape" and "The Madiator".

UK papers called him "Mad Maximus", "Prattus Maximus and "Psycrowe".

- AAP