Top 10 Shocking Celebrity Crimes of the 1990s
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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most scandalous and talked-about celebrity crimes that rocked the 1990s.
#10: Hugh Grant Arrested with a Sex Worker In the mid-90s, Hugh Grant was on top of the world this thanks to romantic comedy hits like Four Weddings and a Funeral. But, in June 1995, his image took a massive hit. The actor was arrested near Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles after police found him engaging in a lewd act with a sex worker named Divine Brown in his car. The timing couldnt have been worse, as Grant was promoting his upcoming film Nine Months and had to do damage control on a pre-booked appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno just several days later. While his career eventually rebounded, the scandal became a pop culture punchline for years.
#9: Tommy Lee Booked for Domestic Assault
In the late 1990s, Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee was arrested and ultimately sentenced to six months in jail for domestic assault against his then-wife, Pamela Anderson. According to court documents and Pamela's own statements, Tommy physically attacked her while she was holding their infant child, prompting her to call 911. The violent outburst was the culmination of a tumultuous relationship that had captivated tabloids for years. Their relationship had already been thrust into the public eye thanks to a private tape that was stolen and leaked online. Lee has since expressed extreme regret over the abusive incident.
#8: Robert Downey Jr.'s Multiple Arrests Before he kickstarted the MCU as Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. had frequent run-ins with the law. In 1996, Downey was arrested for speeding down Sunset Boulevard with illegal substances and an unloaded gun in his car. A short time later, while on probation, he broke into a neighbors home and passed out in their childs bed. The next several years saw multiple probation violations, missed narcotics tests, and rehab stints. By the end of the decade, RDJ was sentenced to three years in prison. Robert Downey Jr. has since turned his life around, achieving one of the most remarkable and inspiring comebacks in Hollywood history.
#7: Mike Tyson Convicted of Indecent Assault In one of the most high-profile celebrity criminal cases of the decade, heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was convicted of indecently assaulting Desiree Washington, a Miss Black America contestant in a hotel room. Tyson claimed the encounter with the then-18-year-old beauty pageant competitor was consensual, but the jury didnt agree. After a widely publicized trial, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison in 1992, though he served just under three. The case was a major fall from grace for the boxing legend and sparked heated debates at the time about celebrity privilege and justice. Though he would return to the ring, the conviction cast a long shadow over his career.
#5: Murder of Phil Hartman
Actor-comedian Phil Hartman was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1994, earning an Emmy in 1989 for writing. Hartman married his third wife Brynn Omdahl in 1987 and the couple had two children together. Omdahl struggled with multiple substance use disorders for years which put a strain on their marriage. She also reportedly had anger issues, leading to many fights between the couple, including one on the night of May 27, 1998. In the early hours of May 28, she shot Hartman multiple times in his sleep, then confessed to two friends before taking her own life. Hartmans murder shocked the entertainment industry at large. Family, friends, and fans continue paying tribute to the comedian.
#4: Assassination of Gianni Versace
After Giovanni Gianni Versace opened his first boutique in 1978, the Italian fashion designer quickly made a name for himself in the industry. His life was cut short at fifty years old when Andrew Cunanan shot him in front of his Miami Beach home on July 15, 1997. Eight days later, Cunanan took his own life. The cross-country spree killer had previously killed four other men before Versace, including his friend Jeffrey Trail in Minneapolis and well-known real estate developer Lee Miglin in Chicago. While his exact motivations are ultimately unknown, experts speculate Cunanan was jealous of Versaces fame and fortune. In 2018, the second season of American Crime Story revisited the crime and the aftermath.
#3: Attack on Nancy Kerrigan
On January 6, 1994, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was practicing for the United States Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, Michigan when she was suddenly struck in her right leg with a baton. Rival skater Tonya Harding and her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly were suspected of orchestrating the attack to eliminate Hardings competition. The attacker was later identified as Shane Stant, an associate of Shawn Eckardt, who acted as Hardings bodyguard and Gilloolys friend. Stant and his getaway driver Derrick Smith accepted plea deals and were both convicted of conspiracy, while Eckardt and Gillooly pled guilty to racketeering. Harding was banned from the USFSA and didnt skate professionally again. In 2017, interest in the infamous attack was renewed with the release of the film I, Tonya.
#2: Murders of Tupac & Biggie Smalls
In the late 90s, two of hip-hops most influential artists were killed within six months of each other. On September 7, 1996, Tupac Shakur was gunned down, dying six days later; then on March 9, 1997, Biggie Smalls (aka Notorious B.I.G.), a suspect in Tupacs murder, was shot and killed. The two started off as friends, but quickly became enemies in the East Coast-West Coast war. Suspects range from former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, to corrupt officers in the LAPD. 2023 saw Duane Keefe D Davis arrested and put in jail as a suspect in Tupacs murder, with a trial delayed to 2026.
#1: Murders of Nicole Brown Simpson & Ronald Goldman
On June 13, 1994, the bodies of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found in front of her Brentwood home, having been stabbed to death the night before. Nicoles ex-husband, former football star OJ Simpson, became the number one suspect. The trial, dubbed the trial of the century, began seven months after the murders on January 24, 1995, and would last 134 days, with the shocking verdict being announced on October 3rd. In the media, its often forgotten that it isnt all about Simpson. The families of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman lost their loved ones. The infamous Bronco chase, trying on the gloves, the theatrics in and out of court all distracts from the reality of the case: two people were brutally killed.
Which 90s celebrity crime shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments down below.
