Whether accidental or intentional, these celebrities have all killed people, from Venus Williams to Matthew Broderick.
Despite their accomplishments or famous families, public figures are still human beings. As such, they're just as prone to err —sometimes with deadly consequences. These celebrities all have one thing in common: they have all borne some responsibility for the death of another human being, whether while operating a motor vehicle or, in some cases, acting with premeditation with the intent to take another life.
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Venus Williams
Though she was cleared of criminal charges, the tennis star was involved in a fatal car accident in 2017. Her car T-boned a vehicle driven by Linda Barson. Though both drivers escaped major injury, Barson's passenger and husband, Jerome Barson, succumbed to his injuries 13 days later. While neither driver was found to be at fault for the collision, Williams ultimately settled a wrongful death lawsuit that resulted.
Matthew Broderick
Long before he married Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick had a secret relationship with his Ferris Bueller's Day Off co-star Jennifer Grey. However, the world soon learned the actors (who played siblings in the movie) were an item when they were involved in a fatal accident in Northern Ireland. The couple were driving on the wrong side of the road and struck an oncoming car, killing both occupants instantly. Broderick sustained a concussion collapsed lung, and broke his leg and ribs, while Grey escaped with minor injuries.
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Caitlyn Jenner
While driving on the Pacific Coast Highway near her home in Malibu, Jenner was involved in a four-car accident. Unfortunately, her vehicle struck 69-year-old Kimberly Howe's car from behind, causing her to collide with another vehicle. Ultimately, the investigation concluded Jenner was not at fault. Jenner's attorneys later claimed in a cross-complaint that the accident was caused by paparazzi in pursuit of the former Olympian.
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Brandy Norwood
On December 30, 2006, Brandy was one of four drivers involved in a fatal accident on the 405 freeway in L.A., which resulted in the death of 38-year-old Awatef Aboudiha. Though an investigation could not find insufficient evidence to support a manslaughter charge, a witness at the scene reported Brandy claimed responsibility for the crash. The singer and Aboudiha's family settled wrongful death civil suits out of court.
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Laura Bush
In her 2010 memoir Spoken from the Heart, former first lady Laura Bush opened up about her role in a fatal accident when she was a teen. While driving her father's Chevy Impala, she blew through a stop sign and struck another student at her school, Mike Douglas. Though her account assumes some responsibility for distracted driving, she also blamed road conditions and the fact that Douglas's car, a Corvair, contributed to the severity of the crash.
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Vince Neil
If you watched the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt, you know all about lead singer Vince Neil's deadly drunk driving collision in 1984. Neil caused severe injury to the occupants of the car he struck, and his passenger, Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley died. He was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and served 15 days in jail plus five years probation. While you'd think that would be the ultimate wakeup call, Neil has been arrested on suspicion of DUI twice more, in 2008 and again in 2010.
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Phil Spector
Phil Spector was once famous primarily for his role as a producer for some of the most iconic recordings of the '60s and '70s. Now he's probably better known for shooting actress Lana Clarkson in his home. In 2009, he was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to serve 19 years to life.
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John Landis
During filming of the Twilight Zone movie, director John Landis was responsible for a special effects detonation that caused a helicopter to crash to the ground, crushing actor Vic Morrow and two child actors. The presence of the young actors was a violation of child labor laws. Though acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, Landis settled lawsuits with the families of all three victims.
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Michael Jace
The Shield star Michael Jace shot his wife, track and field star April Jace, during a domestic dispute in 2014. Their two sons witnessed their father shoot April once in the back and twice in the legs. He was convicted of second-degree murder on May 31 and sentenced to serve 40 years to life in prison.
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Johnny Lewis
The Sons of Anarchy actor killed his 81-year-old landlady Catherine Davis, her cat, and himself on September 28, 2012. The 28-year-old had sustained untreated head injuries in a 2011 motorcycle accident, which his family believes may have contributed to a change in his personality that led to psychosis and violent behavior.
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Rebecca Gayheart
Jawbreaker star Rebecca Gayheart fatally struck a 9-year-old boy who was crossing the street in July of 2001. She pleaded no contest to a vehicular manslaughter charge and settled a wrongful death suit with the boy's family. The actress also paid the boy's funeral expenses.
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Duane Chapman
Better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, Chapman has been on both sides of the law. In 1976, Dog was the getaway driver for a friend who shot a 69-year-old man during a marijuana drug deal gone wrong. Though not directly involved in the shooting, Dog was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to five years in prison, of which he served 18 months.
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Christian Brando
The eldest son of actor Marlon Brando shot his sister Cheyenne's boyfriend, Dag Drollet in May of 1990. Christian claims his sister, who was eight months pregnant, had accused Drollet of domestic abuse earlier that evening. After an initial charge of murder, Christian agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and served five years in prison. He died on Janyary 26, 2008 at the age of 49 of pneumonia.
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Amy Locane
Amy had a promising career in the '90s and early 2000s but after marrying in 2006 she retired from professional acting. Then, in 2010 she crashed into another vehicle while intoxicated, severely injuring the driver and killing his wife. With a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, Locane was charged with aggravated manslaughter and was convicted on the lesser charge of vehicular homicide. She served three years in prison. However, an appeals court ruled in favor of re-sentencing Locane to serve five additional years, declaring the judge in the original case had been too lenient. She is free on bail pending an appeal.
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Aaron Hernandez
in 2013, New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez shot his friend Odin Lloyd to death. He was found guilty of first-degree murder. In April of 2017, he was found hanging in his cell. His family requested his brain be released to Boston University to be examined for signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
The researchers found Hernandez to have stage 3 CTE with evidence of repeated trauma that likely led to his criminal and behavioral problems.
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