Bieber calls for tough rules after paparazzo death

The traffic death of a photographer while taking photos of Justin Bieber’s white Ferrari has led to new debate over dangers that paparazzi can bring on themselves and the celebrities they chase. Bieber and other stars this week renewed their calls for tougher laws to rein in their pursuers. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office confirmed Thursday that the photographer was 29-year-old Christopher James Guerra. [caption id=“attachment_577839” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Agencies[/caption] Bieber has said his prayers were with the photographer’s family. The singer wasn’t even in the Ferrari during Tuesday’s accident. “Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves,” Bieber said in the statement released by Island Def Jam Music Group. Much of Hollywood was abuzz about the death, including Miley Cyrus, who sent several tweets critical of some of the actions of paparazzi and lamenting that the unfortunate accident was “bound to happen.” “Paparazzi are dangerous! Wasn’t Princess Di enough of a wake-up call?!” Cyrus said on her Twitter page. Paparazzi roaming the streets of Southern California have been commonplace for more than a decade as they try to land exclusive shots that can bring hundreds of thousands of dollars. Industry veterans couldn’t remember another photographer being killed while working. “Here in the state of California, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before,” said Giles Harrison, a celebrity photographer and owner of London Entertainment Group. Harrison is familiar with the criticism against paparazzi. He and another photographer were convicted of misdemeanor false imprisonment and sentenced to jail for blocking in Arnold Schwarzenegger and his family as they sat in their Hummer in 1998. Citing that incident and the death of Princess Diana, the state Legislature passed its first anti-paparazzi measure a year later. It created hefty civil penalties that could be paid to stars whose privacy was invaded. Six months ago, a paparazzo was charged with reckless driving in a high-speed pursuit of Bieber and with violating a separate, 2010 state law that toughened punishment for those who drive dangerously in pursuit of photos for commercial gain. However, a judge last month dismissed the paparazzi law charges, saying the law was overly broad. The judge cited problems with the statute, saying it was aimed at newsgathering activities protected by the First Amendment, and lawmakers should have increased penalties for reckless driving rather than target those who photograph celebrities. City prosecutors said they would appeal the judge’s ruling. The law was prompted by the experiences of Jennifer Aniston, who told a lawmaker about being unable to drive away after she was surrounded by paparazzi on the Pacific Coast Highway. On Tuesday, the photographer stood on a low freeway railing to shoot photographs of a traffic stop of Bieber’s car, which a friend was driving, authorities said. The photographer was then hit while crossing a street back to his own car. Harrison hopes celebrities and paparazzi examine their actions to ensure a similar event doesn’t happen again. No photo is worth someone’s life, he said. “Everybody wants to be the first one to get that shot, get that scoop,” Harrison said. “But at the end of the day, you can’t spend money if you are dead.” AP