Former child star arrested for cocaine

by Jennifer Jordan (Subscribe to Jennifer Jordan's posts)
Jun 2nd 2008 9:45PM

Filed under: Celeb Kids, Life & Style, Rumors, Behaving Badly, In The News, Alcohol & Drugs

Tatum O'Neal, star of television's hit series Rescue Me and former child celebrity, has been arrested. Ms. O'Neal, daughter of Ryan O'Neal and former wife of tennis champ John McEnroe, who won an Oscar for her performance in Paper Moon, was arrested in New York City for allegedly buying cocaine!

At her arraignment, the actress, now 44, offered no plea. She is due back in court on July 28th. O'Neal has made no small secret of her addiction problems. Recently, she reached out to another troubled young star, Britney Spears, in an effort to help turn the fallen pop starlet's life around.

Police allegedly found two bags of cocaine in one of O'Neal's front pockets after claiming to see her accept them from a man during a routine drug sweep. Prosecutors are recommending drug treatment rather than jail time for the star, who recounts her problems with both heroin and cocaine in a 2004 memoir titled "A Paper Life."

According to Perez Hilton, who always seems to know more (or claims to know more) than the average online media source, O'Neal claims she was researching the part of a junkie and not buying the cocaine for real. Perez also notes she asked the police if they knew who she was when they approached her. I don't care how good an actress she is, i don't think anyone's going to buy that story!