matthew newton arrested again in miami

Matthew Newton arrested again in Miami, charged with assaulting hotel receptionist

Paul Toohey
From:Herald Sun
April 24, 20129:50AM

Matt Newton arrested. Again.

Charged with battery in Miami, just weeks after allegedly resisting arrest.

MATTHEW Newton has been arrested for battery and resisting arrest without violence after he allegedly punched a hotel desk clerk in the face with a closed fist and then pursued him across the lobby.

Miami police said Newton, 35, claimed the desk clerk spat in his face but there is no evidence of this on CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred in the early hours of April 17.

It comes after Newton, the son of well-known entertainment identities Bert and Patti Newton, was also arrested in Miami earlier this month after refusing to leave a bar.

In the latest incident, police were called to the Courtyard Marriott in Coconut Grove, where Newton had been staying after he was arrested a week earlier for trespass and resisting arrest at a bar.


Police were shown a video of the incident of Newton allegedly being aggressive to the desk clerk. The police report states that Newton was angry about a call being "dropped", presumably meaning it was cut off.

"Defendant then threw all the papers off the counter," the report states. "Defendant then went behind the counter and punched victim in face with closed fist and then pushed victim to the ground."

The police then went to Newton's room 805 and arrested him. The police report states Newton tried to pull away when they went to handcuff him.

Newton was taken to the Miami Dade lockup and charged once again.

He was released on the same day, after an eight-hour stay in the jail. His friend, screenwriter Alison Thompson, arranged for his $2500 bond, being $1500 for the battery and $1000 for the resist arrest. Ms Thompson also posted Newton's bond in the previous incident.

Miami Dade police spokesman Napier Velazquez said: "Mr Newton is claiming the clerk spit in his face, however the clerk had his back to the camera so you cannot see that at any point.

Click above for the full arrest report

"Newton is talking to him over the counter, he gets upset, he knocks the papers off the desk, he walks around the side, and that’s when he punches him.

"He drops to the ground and Mr Newton follows him down and then we see the clerk stumble and get up and Mr Newton's following him."

A CCTV image allegedly showing Newton and the clerk in the hotel foyer

Mr Velazquez said the clerk did not retaliate.

Miami Police spokesman Fredie Cruz said the receptionist was in his late 50s or early 60s.

This CCTV still shows both men on the floor

Tom Langone, manager of the Courtyard Marriott, would only confirm there was an incident between a guest and an employee.

"He (Newton) is no longer at the hotel. The guest was due to check out," Mr Langone said.


Newton is due to appear to face the battery charges at 10am on May 11 and is set to deal with his previous charges on May 15.

Newton's Miami lawyer, John Skerry, was not returning calls.

- with Angus Thompson, AAP