10 Disgraced Celebs Who Never Faced Justice

10 Disgraced Celebs Who Never Faced Justice

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at stars whose status was destroyed by verifiable crimes, but who got out of fair legal repercussions.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

At age 40, Floyd Mayweather Jr. retired from pro boxing with an undefeated record and championship wins in five weight classes. And yet, his future as a public figure hangs on a disturbing past. Mayweather has been convicted five times for domestic violence toward four different women. Aside from a two-month stint in jail, all of his sentences were suspended. The criminal violence seemingly ended in 2012, but not the legal troubles. The unrepentant Mayweather nevertheless enjoys a lucrative career as a sports personality and promoter, who occasionally returns to the ring. This has sparked debate over the boxing industrys attitude about more scandalous violence, especially as Mayweather got off relatively easy in court.

Vince Neil

Mötley Crüe is synonymous with excess on and off the stage. Frontman Vince Neil alone has had many legal troubles, partly due to substance use disorder. The most infamous incident was in 1984, when he had a car wreck while heavily intoxicated. One of his passengers, Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle, did not survive. Neil was sentenced to 30 days in jail and paid considerable restitution to the injured parties in the car he hit. He was haunted by the tragedy, but has faced more DUI and assault charges during his decades-long struggle to maintain sobriety. Whether the fans should be as tolerant as theyve been, legal discipline has gone only so far with the controversial rocker.

Brandy Norwood

Singer and actress Brandy Norwood was such a household name that most people knew her by just the first name. That, and The Vocal Bible. Still, her reputation couldn't withstand a tragic L.A. freeway accident in 2006. Norwood collided with another car at high speed, causing a pile-up that killed 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj. The at-fault driver faced no criminal charges, but settled several lawsuits out of court. The scandal was ostensibly a factor in Norwoods commercial and professional decline in the following years. She claims that this tragedy and the financial restitutions motivated her to become a better person. That doesnt seem to bring much comfort to Aboudihajs survivors and Norwoods downsized fanbase.

Karl Malone

No power forward has delivered like Karl The Mailman Malone. And not many basketball icons have survived the scandals he has. Malone was 20 years old when he dated teenager Gloria Bell, but never faced criminal charges. What evidence is there of sexual impropriety? In 1998, a blood test for a paternity suit reported a 99 percent chance that Malone was the father of Bells then-14-year-old son. He was already in trouble for belated public acknowledgement of the twins he fathered at age 17. Cheryl Ford and Demetress Bell went on to become star athletes. Meanwhile, the circumstances of their births continue to follow Malone through his accolades and allegations of sexual harassment. He has never been registered as a sex offender.

Robert Blake

The star of In Cold Blood and Baretta is also known for his own true crime story. In 2001, Bonny Lee Bakley was murdered amid a bitter marriage to Robert Blake. A trial concluded that the retired actor didn't directly kill his wife, but two former stuntmen testified that he tried to hire them to do so. The jury dismissed one solicitation charge and were deadlocked on the other. A civil suit by Bakleys children later determined that Blake was liable for her death. We may never know the whole truth about this terrible crime, but Blakes evident involvement was only met with a charge for damages. He was excluded from the Academy Awards In Memoriam montage after his death in 2023.

Stephen Collins

Families everywhere fell in love with Reverend Eric Camden on the show 7th Heaven. This made actor Stephen Collinss horrific fall from grace all the more devastating. In 2014, a leaked marriage counseling tape featured Collins confessing to sexual abuse of three minors. Police could not pursue the case due to insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations. Still, Collins later admitted to the crimes in an interview with People. His acting career died on the spot, and its legacy has been forever corrupted by a history of disturbing behavior. It's just a shame that the one-time America's Dad was never properly prosecuted for what he did to at least three families.

DeShawn Stevenson

Traveling six teams in 13 years, shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson was a recognizable name in the NBA. But shortly after beginning his career, the then-20-year-old made headlines for charges of relations with a teenager. Stevenson had confessed to the victims mother in a taped phone conversation. He pleaded no contest by proxy in court, and was ultimately given community service and a small fine. He would neither go to jail nor register as a sex offender. The scandal soon died down as the so-called Next Michael Jordan continued to play for over a decade. Now the biggest controversy is that his scoring average didnt measure up to that title. How quickly people forget his light punishment after admitting to a serious crime.

Don King

Some of the biggest names in boxing history owe a lot to Don King. And the promoter owes some of his success to organized crime. He ran a gambling den in the 1950s, which Hillary Brown robbed. King fatally shot Brown in the back, but the homicide was ruled justifiable. In 66, King stomped Sam Garrett to death over a debt. He served almost four years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, and was pardoned in 1983. King credits his self-education behind bars with motivating him to go legitimate. Even then, his promotion career has long been blemished by fraud charges and harsh comments from former colleagues. That King flourished despite blood on his own hands speaks to his skills in manipulation.

Jimmy Savile

For five decades, the eccentric host Jimmy Savile was a British media icon and major philanthropist. His death in 2011 devastated a nation, but not like the revelations that came a year later. Multiple investigations found that Savile sexually abused up to 1,000 people of all ages throughout his career. Years worth of rumors were swept under the rug, with some saying that Saviles misconduct was an open secret around the BBC. This historic scandal raised debates about the sort of culture and institution that would at best overlook this horror. Saviles accolades and legacy have since been extensively scrubbed. But besides never paying for his incalculable crimes, the prolific predator died revered.

Roman Polanski

One of the cinemas most contentious figures is Roman Polanski. In 1977, the celebrated filmmaker pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting teenager Samantha Gailey. Rumors that the judge planned to disregard an already generous plea deal prompted Polanski to flee to Europe, never again to step on American soil. The fugitives career was otherwise unaffected, producing many more popular and acclaimed films. This makes him a key subject in the debate over separating the art from the artist. The victim has since advocated to dismiss Polanskis charges, going so far as to call a lifetime of media scrutiny much more traumatizing. Whether its counterproductive to make a public figures crime such a public matter, other allegations against Polanski suggest that disgrace isnt enough.

Who are some other celebrities who may only get their day in the court of public opinion? Give your verdict in the comments.