Tamahori charges dropped, ordered to clean up Hollywood

Lee Tamahori

New Zealand film director Lee Tamahori has been ordered to help clean-up Hollywood after striking a plea bargain deal which saw solicitation and loitering charges against him dropped.

Tamahori was today sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to complete 15 days of community service -- requiring the director to clean the streets of Hollywood -- after he was arrested in drag during a prostitution sting in January.

Tamahori, 55, was arrested on January 8 on Santa Monica Boulevard when, according to Los Angeles police, he entered an undercover policeman's car while dressed in drag and offered to perform a sex act in exchange for money.

Frank Mateljan, spokesman for Los Angeles' City Attorney said Tamahori's defence lawyers had approached his office about a plea deal on Wednesday night (Los Angeles time).

Under the terms of the plea deal Tamahori pleaded no contest to a charge of criminal trespass in return for prosecutors dropping charges of prostitution and loitering, Mr Mateljan said.

The plea deal was sealed late last night and Mr Tamahori pleaded no contest to one misdemeanour count of trespass, Mr Mateljan said.

Tamahori was not in court for the hearing in Los Angeles and was not represented by his high-profile lawyer Mark Geragos, but a representative from Mr Geragos' firm instead.

Tamahori was placed on 36 months' probation and ordered to perform 15 days of community service for the Hollywood Beautification Project.

"It helps clean the streets of Hollywood," Mr Mateljan said.

Tamahori would be required to clean the streets, plant flowers, paint over graffiti, he said.

The director would also be required to attend an Aids education course.

Tamahori -- who had been free since his arrest on US$2000 ($3061) bail -- had faced a maximum six months' jail and a US$1000 fine.

Tamahori directed New Zealand film Once Were Warriors and Die Another Day, a James Bond movie.

He also directed last year's action adventure XXX: State of the Union, with Samuel L Jackson and Willem Dafoe, and 2001's Along Came a Spider with Morgan Freeman.

Tamahori started out as a commercial artist and photographer in New Zealand, before entering the film industry in the late 1970 as a boom microphone operator, going on to become an assistant director.

He got his break in Hollywood directing an episode of the hit television series The Sopranos in 2000.

Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan and Oscar-winning Bond girl Halle Berry, was released in 2002.

- NZPA