Man Accused of Killing 'Idol' Hopeful Is Charged With Manslaughter
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AP / FOX
The 23-year-old man accused of running down former 'American Idol' hopeful Alexis Cohen with a car appeared Monday in state Superior Court on charges of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Prosecutors say the charges have been upgraded to aggravated manslaughter and drunken driving.
The lawyer of the accused, Daniel Bark, says his client is distraught to the point of suicide. Bark's attorney, David Glasman, told reporters outside the courthouse that "he is having an extremely difficult time mentally coming to terms with the fact that there's an allegation that he caused a death."
"My client is in a state of mind where he is going to be under suicide watch," Glassman said. "His family is extremely distraught about what happened to the victim in this case and want to extend their condolences to her family."
Police picked up Bark on Sunday evening in Atlantic Highlands, NJ on suspicion of hitting and killing Cohen with his car and then driving away. Cohen, whose audition for 'Idol' devolved into one of the show's most memorable rejection meltdowns, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver early Saturday in a New Jersey shore town.
Ocean County Deputy Chief Michael Mohel told reporters that Cohen's death was caused by chest, head and abdominal injuries and has been ruled a vehicular homicide. Her car was found parked some 300 yards away.
Cohen, 25, was found lying on or near the street around 4 a.m. on Saturday by two passers-by, Mohel said. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital two hours later. Mohel says investigators are seeking more information about the collision.
The Asbury Park Press was first to report the death.
Cohen's audition for the FOX singing competition in August 2007 was a memorable one. After getting rough reviews for her version of 'Somebody to Love' by Jefferson Airplane, Cohen went on an emotional rant where she called judge Simon Cowell a "big fat bad word." Watch her infamous 'Idol' audition:
Her use of sparkly makeup led to fans calling the singer "Glitter Girl."
She also attempted to audition for the show's eighth season, but was turned away.
Recently, Cohen has been working on a stand-up career, and a day before her death, she posted a practice video on her MySpace page. The clip was taped months ago but includes angry and obscenity-laced rants about neighbors and money.
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2009-07-26 08:06:06
