Kiefer Sutherland
Gossip

It looks like Kiefer Sutherland will dodge a major bullet after his now infamous head butt and will not be prosecuted for assaulting Jack McCollough.

The reason? There is no longer a complaining witness in the case after the celebrity fashion designer privately settled his beef with the 24 star.

Figures. You do not press charges against Jack Bauer.

Kiefer Sutherland apologized to Jack McCollough, who had claimed the actor broke his nose in a scuffle at the MET Gala in New York back on May 5.

The complaint being dropped is doubly important for Sutherland as he also faced a potential probation violation, given his 2008 DUI conviction.

Accounts of what happened between Kiefer Sutherland and Jack McCullough vary, but both parties are apparently willing to put the ugly incident behind them.

"I am sorry about what happened that night and sincerely regret that Mr. McCollough was injured," Sutherland said in a statement. McCollough responded, also in a statement, "I appreciate Mr. Sutherland's statement and wish him well."

Without a complaining witness - especially in a misdemeanor case such as this one - the odds of the alleged attacker being prosecuted become very slim.

Felony charges such as, oh, criminal threats and aggravated battery are a different ball of wax. The L.A. D.A.'s case against Chris Brown will still be pursued regardless of what Rihanna does - although he is working on a plea deal.

Kiefer Sutherland hasn't exactly tackled his latest PR nightmare head-on, but the 24 star's camp has broken its silence on he allegedly head-butted Jack McCollough.

Sutherland was charged with misdemeanor assault as a result.

However, while proclaiming his client's innocence in the Met Costume Gala aftermath, the actor's lawyer didn't exactly go out of his way to set the record straight.

"We are troubled by the untruthful and self-serving information circulating regarding Kiefer Sutherland and events of last Monday evening," Michael C. Miller said.

"We are confident, however, that the investigation being conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the NYPD will confirm that Kiefer Sutherland was neither the instigator nor a wrongdoer in this incident."

"Out of respect for this law enforcement process, Kiefer Sutherland will not be making any comment at this time," the attorney's statement concluded.

According to reports, the actor supposedly attacked Jack McCollough for something the fashion designer did to Brooke Shields, and broke his nose in the process.

For her part, Shields' team has broken its silence to shoot down "a number of statements [that] have been attributed to Ms. Shields in the media that are neither true nor authorized" and offer the actress' version of events.

"These statements were obviously made by those not in attendance at the party and constitute their version of events," said attorney Gerald Lefcourt.

"At the party she was bumped into by Jack McCollough and Kiefer Sutherland became concerned. Kiefer has always been a gentleman in her company ... Both Jack and Kiefer are friends of Ms. Shields and she regrets this unfortunate situation."

Sutherland is due to be arraigned on the assault charge June 22.

Staring at assault charge for his alleged scuffle in New York City this week, Kiefer Sutherland is due to surrender to police in Lower Manhattan today.

Moreover, authorities in Los Angeles may come down even harder on him after the angry star allegedly head-butted Jack McCollough for some reason.

Sutherland is currently serving a five-year probation term in Los Angeles for his second DUI conviction (for which he served 48 days in jail this winter) and may have violated those terms, which clearly state the actor must "obey all laws."

"Our office intends to contact the NYPD and New York prosecutors to review the incident and determine whether Mr. Sutherland violated the terms of his probation," L.A. City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan said in a statement.

A probation violation often means a return to jail.

SMOKED: Kiefer Sutherland enjoys a cigarette after smoking Jack McCollough with a head-butt to the dome. Just another night at the MET Costume Institute Gala.

If Sutherland's found in violation of probation for battery, and if he was intoxicated at the time, he could well be sentenced to another 48 days or more.

The 24 star, who says he was protecting Brooke Shields (who reportedly said this is not the case) from Jack McCollough, will surrender to authorities and face a third-degree assault charge, according to the New York Daily News.

The actor will be issued a desk appearance for the misdemeanor, with no jail and no restrictions on travel before his arraignment, a source says.

This is Jack McCollough, the celebrity fashion designer who received a broken nose courtesy of a Kiefer Sutherland head-butt the other night. Ouch.

Celebrity fashion designer Jack McCollough was allegedly headbutted by actor Kiefer Sutherland at a party in lower Manhattan early Tuesday morning.

Denying he initiated any altercation, he's slamming reports that he provoked the 24 star, who said he only acted to protect actress Brooke Shields.

"Anyone who knows Jack McCollough knows that he would not hurt a fly," a rep for McCollough, of the New York fashion empire Proenza Schouler, said.

"All we can say at this point is that he was the victim of a vicious, violent, unprovoked assault and that the matter is in the hands of the authorities."

Jack McCollough's nose was broken in the incident.

One report claims that Jack McCollough bumped into fellow MET gala guest Shields, prompting Kiefer Sutherland to get physical with the designer.

But New York's Daily News says McCollough – a friend of Shields' – interrupted her and Sutherland while they were speaking outside the SoHo nightspot SubMercer, and Sutherland head-butted him after the two men exchanged words.

Another guest says Kiefer demanded Jack apologize to Brooke - for what, no one knows - and Jack allegedly pushed Kiefer, who headbutted Jack.

In any event, the altercation came as a surprise to bystanders:

"Jack walked into the party and tried to order a drink, and then the next thing he knew, he got headbutted for no identifiable reason." [McCollough] did nothing other than walk into a party. He did not bump into Brooke Shields. It's just puzzling.”

The NYPD said the incident remains under investigation.

For her part, Shields' rep said "nothing happened to her," adding "Jack did nothing inappropriate. It's not clear what caused Kiefer to do what he did."

Amazingly, a report Star magazine turned out to be untrue.

The same celebrity gossip magazine that falsely reported a "secret vacation" that obviously did not take place between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline - running a photo from 2003 on the cover no less? Wow, we're shocked!

In any case, Kiefer Sutherland and Siobhan Bonnouvrier, his current girlfriend, are not engaged, his representative confirmed this morning.

Kiefer Sutherland, 41, is twice divorced. Siobhan Bonnouvrier, 36, is the style director of Allure magazine. We hope they're happy, engaged or not!

Actor Kiefer Sutherland surrendered on Wednesday to begin a 48-day jail sentence for his most recent DUI arrest. His mug shot appears below.

Sutherland was processed into the jail in Glendale, Calif., a Los Angeles suburb, at 5:46 p.m., according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

"Mr. Sutherland is very polite and humble. He was very cooperative during the booking process," said jail spokesman John Balian. "He will be issued an orange jumpsuit, and will be housed alone in a cell, since he'll be considered a long-term inmate."

This Kiefer Sutherland mug shot was taken last night.

Kiefer Sutherland will be assigned to laundry and kitchen duty, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to the other inmates at the facility. As an inmate worker, he will be allowed the roam the jail "about 75 percent of the time."

The actor was sentenced in an L.A. courtroom earlier in the afternoon for the DUI arrest and for violating probation. The "24" star was spared from the much harsher L.A. County facility by the judge in his case.

Judge Stuart M. Rice also sentenced Sutherland to five years probation, and the actor must complete an 18-month alcohol education program and attend weekly therapy sessions for six months after he gets out of jail.

Unlike certain celebrities - Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie - who somehow get sprung after an hour or so, Sutherland is expected to serve his entire term.

"Sutherland will be serving the 48 days in the Glendale City Jail, with no early release and no good time/work time credit, so we expect that he will serve the entire 48 days in jail," a statement from the court said.

Not even Jack Bauer could get out of this one.

The actor who plays him, Kiefer Sutherland, pleaded no contest Tuesday to a charge of driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit and will serve 30 days in county jail under terms of a plea agreement.

Attorney Blair Berk entered the plea on behalf of Kiefer Sutherland, who was not present. As part of the arrangement, Sutherland must also enroll in an 18-month alcohol-education class and attend weekly alcohol-therapy sessions.

The charge of driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or higher stemmed from a traffic stop in Los Angeles last month.

A second misdemeanor charge, driving under the influence, was dropped.

Kiefer Sutherland is on probation for a 2004 drunk driving arrest. Superior Court Judge Stuart M. Rice revoked the actor's probation in that case.

Sutherland, star of Fox's 24, could face six months in jail for violating probation. Sentencing is set for December 21, the same day the show begins its winter break.

And the list of celebrities arrested for DUI - and even serving time behind bars, albeit briefly - continues to swell. Who's next?

And here we thought Jack Bauer was untouchable. And not stupid.

After the summer of useless socialites being arrested and occasionally put behind bars for their asinine traffic offenses, Kiefer Sutherland is proving that celebrities can be pulled over and incarcerated with equal opportunity.

According to TMZ, Sutherland was arrested on suspicion of DUI Monday night in West Hollywood. This is the second DUI in five years for Sutherland meaning that if convicted, he will serve a mandatory five days in jail.

Kiefer Sutherland was pulled over around 1:35 a.m., making an illegal U-turn. When tested for alcohol, he allegedly blew twice the legal driving limit of .08.

Police arrested the man behind the invincible Jack Bauer for misdemeanor DUI, booked him at 4:09 a.m. and released him at 5:42 a.m. on $25,000 bail.

Prior to being arrested, Sutherland attended the FOX Fall Eco-Casino party at Area nightclub in West Hollywood. Us Weekly spotted the actor drinking dark beer and smoking heavily while holding court with FOX executives.

Kiefer Sutherland is scheduled to appear in court on October 16. Hopefully on the same day as Britney Spears, so as to take the attention off him.