Rodman May Be Charged

The party’s over, and the cleanup could include as many as four more misdemeanor citations for Newport Beach’s reigning party champion.

Newport Beach police said Sunday they planned to ask prosecutors to file charges against former NBA star Dennis Rodman after a showdown Saturday over his 40th birthday celebration, which included a rock band performance and Rodman’s arrival by helicopter.

Adding to an already lengthy list of run-ins with local authorities, Rodman may be charged with three counts of disturbing the peace and one count of playing live music without a permit, Police Sgt. Jim Kaminsky said.

The gathering at Rodman’s Seashore Drive home was an early celebration of the former pro basketball player’s 40th birthday, which was Sunday.

Police plan to forward the complaints to the Orange County district attorney’s office early this week, Kaminsky said.

The helicopter pilot who allegedly made an illegal landing to drop Rodman off on the beach in front of his home could also face charges, although Kaminsky said police were uncertain whether to file that complaint with the district attorney’s office or the Federal Aviation Administration.

“This is a kind of an obscure one,” Kaminsky said. “I’ve never heard of a helicopter purposefully landing on the beach.”

The trouble began Friday when Rodman fenced off a portion of the public beach in front of his house. About 2:30 p.m. Saturday, about 300 guests and curious onlookers gathered as Rodman made his dramatic helicopter entrance.

By late afternoon, the crowd grew to include about 30 police officers--some in riot gear--who confronted Rodman over the lack of permits for the party. After negotiations and some heated exchanges, Rodman shifted the gathering to a nearby restaurant in which he is a part owner.