PPM Version:
According to reports, JOHNNY LEWIS has been arrested several times this year . . . and he had just gotten out of jail FIVE DAYS before the drug-fueled rampage where he killed his elderly landlady. He's been previously arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, assault and burglary.
Full Story:
JOHNNY LEWIS' life had been spiraling out of control over the past year. (--He was found dead on Wednesday morning, after allegedly killing an 81-year-old woman and assaulting several other people in a drug-fueled rampage.)
--In January, he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. He'd broken into a home wearing only pajama bottoms, and had attacked two men with an empty bottle. After that, he was ordered to go to rehab for, quote, "treatment of mental health and / or drugs and alcohol."
--The next month, in February, he was arrested again for "sucker-punching a man on his way out of a yogurt shop for no apparent reason." And EIGHT DAYS after that, he was busted for attempting to break into a woman's house through a window.
--He was convicted of all those crimes . . . and was sentenced to some prison time.
--There are a lot of conflicting reports about how long he was in jail, and when he was released. Most people are saying he served six weeks behind bars, and was released last Friday . . . just FIVE DAYS before he his rampage.
--It doesn't seem like those who knew Johnny were surprised by any of this.
--"Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter says, quote, "It was a tragic end for an extremely talented guy, who unfortunately had lost his way. I wish I could say that I was shocked by the events last night, but I was not.
--"I am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path."
--A "source" connected to "Sons of Anarchy" says, quote, "It wasn't a secret that Johnny had issues he was dealing with. No one could have expected it would end so tragically, though."
--Johnny's lawyer said he suffered from "psychosis, [and] clearly, it did impede his judgment." He also said he tried to convince Johnny to get help last month because, quote, "he had delusions." But he said no . . . and that's the last he saw of him.
(--Here are some pics of Johnny, including mugshots from TMZ.)
(--In addition to "Sons of Anarchy", Johnny also starred in the short-lived ANDY RICHTER sitcom "Quintuplets", and appeared in multiple episodes of "The O.C.", "American Dreams", "Drake & Josh" and "Boston Public".)
(--He was in the KRISTEN STEWART movie "The Runaways", "Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem" and the HILARY DUFF movie "Raise Your Voice".)
(--And coincidentally, Johnny stars in a new indie movie called "186 Dollars to Freedom", which opens in L.A. tonight. It's about an American surfer who gets caught up in Peru's political turmoil and ends up in prison.)