Comedian Zhou Libo denies drug charge
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, January 24, 2017
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Chinese comedian Zhou Libo (C) and his lawyer (L, Front) prepare to leave after Zhou was released on bail at Nassau District Court, the United States, on Jan. 20, 2017. |
Chinese comedian Zhou Libo spoke out for the first time after his arrest by US police and said he is not interested in drugs.
Zhou was arrested in Long Island, New York, for alleged illegal possession of a firearm and drugs.
He spoke out on Monday on his social media Weibo account, "I'm not a saint, so I do make mistakes. I'm sorry that I have disturbed everyone's New Year celebration mood."
The 49-year-old comedian said he would keep on devoting himself to "social responsibility and charity causes for his public virtue pursuits," while also improving his own "personal morals."
He added, regarding the allegations of porn, gambling and drug abuse, “I never was, am nor will be interested in such things. Please rest assured, the truth and law will clear my name!"
Zhou also joked, "Plus, I'm sorry Mr. Trump, I took away your headlines for these few days," referring to the discussion of his arrest on Chinese social platforms which had overshadowed the spotlight of the new US president's inauguration.
The once beloved comedian has suffered from a bad reputation in recent years due to backlashes for his outrageous discriminatory remarks, as well as his attacks on other celebrities and ordinary citizens alike during his show and daily rants.
Last Thursday, he and the passenger, Shuang Tang, 30, were stopped at 12:07 am because their Mercedes-Benz was "being driven erratically and the operator was using a cell phone" on Bayville Road in Lattingtown, New York.
Upon further investigation, a loaded pistol was recovered along with two clear plastic bags containing crack cocaine, it said.
They have then been charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Nassau County police said in a press release. Zhou is also charged with Mobile Phone Use While Driving.
They were charged on Friday at the First District Court in Hempstead. Zhou has been released on bail and is expected to appear in court again for his next hearing on March 9.
Tu Lei, Zhou's attorney in China, said to the press that he had discussed this case with Zhou, "He was fine. This case was greatly hyped in China but is not that serious in the U.S. First, the gun is legal; second, we didn't know yet whether the drugs are illegal. Even if the drug is illegal, it didn't belong to Zhou personally."
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