Tiffany Haddish begs judge to hide her ‘exonerated’ DUI past

Comedian Tiffany Haddish is dealing with a legal case in Georgia, where she has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) following an arrest in January 2022. The case has taken an important turn as the prosecution is trying to bring in evidence from a later DUI arrest in California, something Haddish’s lawyers say should not be allowed in court.

As found by US Magazine, the prosecution in Georgia wants to tell the jury about the California arrest during the DUI trial. They say this evidence is important because it shows a pattern of behavior. However, Haddish’s legal team strongly disagrees and has filed a motion to stop this information from being shared.

Their arguments are based on several points, including problems with the legal process, the risk of unfair bias against Haddish, and the fact that the California case ended with her pleading to a lesser charge, meaning she was not convicted of DUI in that instance.

Comedian requests that DUI case not be brought up

The Georgia case started after police in Peachtree City responded to a call about a driver who was asleep behind the wheel. They pulled Haddish over, thinking her car matched the description, and then arrested her for DUI after noticing signs of marijuana use. Haddish pleaded not guilty.

The situation became more serious when she was arrested again in California in November 2023 after being found asleep at the wheel in Los Angeles. This led to DUI charges, but in February 2024, Haddish made a plea deal that resulted in the DUI charges being dropped and her pleading guilty to a less serious charge of reckless driving.

Haddish’s lawyers say the prosecution’s attempt to bring up the California arrest is happening too late. They point out that the Georgia case has been going on for almost two and a half years, and the prosecution only recently mentioned the California arrest. The defense argues that this late notice makes it harder for Haddish to prepare a defense against this new evidence. They also criticize the prosecution for not explaining why they waited so long to bring it up. The defense believes the prosecution is trying to use the California arrest to make it seem like Haddish has a habit of DUI offenses, even though she was not convicted of DUI in that case.

Haddish’s legal team also brings up details about the Georgia arrest. They say the traffic stop was not legal because her car did not match the description given to the police. They also say her blood alcohol content (BAC) was much lower than the legal limit at the time of her arrest in Georgia. These arguments suggest the Georgia case is weak and that the prosecution is trying to make their case stronger by bringing up the California arrest, even though it did not result in a DUI conviction.

The judge’s decision in Georgia will have major consequences. If the judge allows the California arrest to be mentioned, it could unfairly influence the jury against Haddish, possibly leading to a guilty verdict based not on the Georgia incident but on the idea that she has a pattern of reckless behavior. On the other hand, if the judge sides with the defense, it would Haddish’s legal team’s strategy of keeping the two cases separate and preventing the jury from hearing about the resolved California case during the Georgia trial. This could also hurt her Haunted Mansion.