In the world of paparazzi, one image of the rich or famous can be like winning the lottery, but the hunt for that shot can be dangerous — even deadly.
A photographer was struck by a car and killed on Tuesday as he darted across a street after snapping pictures of Justin Bieber's white Ferrari — and the teen heartthrob wasn't even in the car.
'I'm surprised this hasn't happened before.'—Giles Harrison, a celebrity photographer
The incident again brought the dangers of paparazzi's often aggressive work into harsh focus, prompting some celebrities to renew their calls for tougher laws to rein in their pursuers.
However, at least one previous attempt has been stymied in the U.S. by First Amendment protections.
Authorities have withheld the name of the 29-year-old photographer killed on Tuesday pending notification of relatives.
In a statement, Bieber said his prayers were with the photographer's family.
"Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves," Bieber said in the statement released by Island Def Jam Music Group.
Paparazzi accident 'bound to happen'
Much of Hollywood was abuzz about the death.
Miley Cyrus sent several tweets, saying paparazzi act like "fools," and the unfortunate accident was "bound to happen."
Canadian singer Justin Bieber was not in his white Ferrari when a paparazzo was killed by a car while crossing the street after taking pictures of the vehicle, say police. (Christinne Muschi/Reuters) "Hope this paparazzi/JB accident brings on some changes in '13," Cyrus said on her Twitter page. "Paparazzi are dangerous! Wasn't Princess Di enough of a wake-up call?!"
Paparazzi roaming the streets of Southern California have been commonplace for more than a decade as the shutterbugs looked to land exclusive shots that can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Industry veterans recalled incidents where paparazzi chasing celebrities have been injured, but they couldn't remember a photographer being killed while working.
"Here in the state of California, I'm surprised this hasn't happened before," said Giles Harrison, a celebrity photographer and owner of London Entertainment Group.
Harrison is familiar with the backlash against paparazzi. He and another photographer were convicted of misdemeanour false imprisonment and sentenced to jail for boxing in Arnold Schwarzenegger and his family as they sat in their Hummer in 1998.
Paparazzi law called overly broad
Citing that incident and the death of Princess Diana, the state legislature passed its first anti-paparazzi measure a year later. It created hefty civil penalties that could be paid to stars whose privacy was invaded.
Six months ago, a paparazzo was charged with reckless driving in a high-speed pursuit of Bieber and with violating a separate, 2010 state law that toughened punishment for those who drive dangerously in pursuit of photos for commercial gain.
However, a judge last month dismissed the paparazzi law charges, saying the law was overly broad.
The judge cited problems with the statute, saying it was aimed at newsgathering activities protected by the First Amendment, and lawmakers should have increased penalties for reckless driving rather than target those who photograph celebrities.
City prosecutors said they would appeal the judge's ruling.
The law was prompted by the experiences of Jennifer Aniston, who provided details to a lawmaker about being unable to drive away after she was surrounded by paparazzi on Pacific Coast Highway.
Driver unlikely to be charged
On Tuesday, a friend of Bieber's was behind the wheel of the Ferrari when a California Highway Patrol officer pulled it over for speeding along Interstate 405, authorities said.
A roadside memorial for a paparazzo, who was killed by a car while darting across a street after taking pictures of Justin Bieber's Ferrari. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press) "This photographer evidently had been following the white Ferrari," and when it was pulled over after sundown, he stopped, parked and crossed the street to snap photos, Los Angeles police Detective Charles Walton said.
The photographer stood on a low freeway railing to shoot photographs of the traffic stop over a chain-link fence, authorities said.
"The CHP officer told him numerous times that it wasn't safe for him to be there and to return to his vehicle," Walton said.
There were no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings along the street where the photographer had parked, so the driver of the car that struck him had no reason to expect a pedestrian, Walton said of the accident.
69-year-old driver
"It would have been very difficult for her to see him," the detective said.
It wasn't immediately clear how fast the motorist, a 69-year-old woman, was travelling, but she was not believed to be at fault and was unlikely to be cited, police said.
Harrison said he routinely tells his photographers to be safe when they are working.
"In any job, you have to exercise a degree of common sense and caution," he said.
Harrison hopes celebrities and paparazzi examine their actions to ensure a similar event doesn't happen again. No photo is worth someone's life, he said.
"Everybody wants to be the first one to get that shot, get that scoop," Harrison said. "But at the end of the day, you can't spend money if you are dead."
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