Swank to fight charges in court

[KiwiCoromandel]

Swank to fight charges in court

Mar 17, 2005

Double Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank, who played a boxer in the movie Million Dollar Baby, takes on a different kind of fight when she defends charges of bringing fruit into New Zealand.

The US star failed to declare an apple and an orange in her luggage when she landed at Auckland International Airport on a flight from Los Angeles in January.

Rather than pay an instant $NZ200 fine, Swank decided to fight the charge and the case will be heard behind closed doors in an Auckland court room.

She has written a letter to the court defending the charge.

"No lawyers for Ms Swank will be present and she's not going to appear," said Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries spokesman William Minchin.

The 30-year-old actress was awarded the best actress Oscar last month for her role as a boxer in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. She won her first statuette for best actress for the 1999 film Boys Don't Cry.

A decision on the case may be made within a couple of weeks.

New Zealand takes a hard line against people bringing in fruit and other unprocessed food to protect its agriculture industry from foreign pests and diseases.

[Shawn]

Doesn't make much sense to me why she's going to argue it. She's guilty.

[Malicious Intent]

Not the first time she has been in trouble:

http://www.fooltank.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=333

[KiwiCoromandel]

yes..she does seem to have a bit of an attitude doesn`t she....the term WANK in nz means that you are playing with yourself....... :bigsmile:

[Kooperman]

The prosecution's case in this instance is literally comparing apples and oranges.....

[DudeAsInCool]

The prosecution's case in this instance is literally comparing apples and oranges.....

Actually...I hear Swank was set up by a Kiwi fruit vendor

[KiwiCoromandel]

Actually...I hear Swank was set up by a Kiwi fruit vendor 

wouldn`t surprise me for a minute.......nzers never miss an opportunity to make a buck...usually at someones expense......they`ll try to sell the kiwi TO the fruit....it`s all that isolation at the bottom of the world....come to think of it ......there`s quite a big nz community living in the states... :bigsmile:

[KiwiCoromandel]

Court considers Swank case in private

19 March 2005

A letter is winging its way from south Auckland to Hollywood to inform Hilary Swank where she stands on her fruit indiscretion.

Manukau District Court considered the double-Oscar-winning actress' case in private yesterday after she failed to declare an apple and an orange when she visited New Zealand.

Rather than pay the $200 fine, Swank chose to write a letter defending her actions.

A Justice of the Peace yesterday insisted that the court's letter to Swank must stay sealed and refused to reveal whether the star of Million Dollar Baby had successfully fought her corner.

A spokeswoman from the court said it would not be fair to have the whole world knowing before Swank.

After winning her second Oscar this year for her latest movie with Clint Eastwood, Swank is estimated to be able to command a salary of about $US8 million (NZ $10.7 million), according to Emanuel Levy, a former Arizona State University film professor and author of All About Oscar: The History and Politics of the Academy Awards.

She fell foul of biosecurity laws when she landed at Auckland International Airport on a flight from Los Angeles in January.

AdvertisementAdvertisementHer case was decided on the strength of a letter from the 30-year-old actress against a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) outlining the case.

No lawyers for either side were present and the decision is expected to be released later this month.

[slum_goddess]

at 'fruit indiscretion.' :)

[KiwiCoromandel]

Swank ordered to pay $200 fruit fine

Mar 30, 2005

One of the world's most famous actresses has been ordered to pay a $200 fine for bringing fruit into New Zealand.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) says Oscar-winner Hilary Swank has to pay the fine, plus court costs of $30, after failing to declare she had an apple and an orange in her luggage.

Swank, 30, arrived at the Auckland International Airport on a flight from Los Angeles in January. It's not clear what she was doing in the country.

Biosecurity staff gave the Hollywood star the choice of paying the instant $200 fine, or she could defend her case.

Swank wrote a letter which was filed at the Manukau District Court along with a letter from MAF outlining their case.

Last month Swank won the Oscar for best actress for her role in Million Dollar Baby directed by Clint Eastwood.

[Shawn]

:good job:

It's $200 superstar, pull out the wallet.

[rainbowdemon]

Not the first time she has been in trouble:

http://www.fooltank.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=333

She downloads movies too?

Cool!!

[rainbowdemon]

:good job:

It's $200 superstar, pull out the wallet.

But there's not as much publicity in that.