Pinkberry co-founder Young Lee pleads not guilty in assault case

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Young Lee in court Monday

(Credit: Pool, AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Al Seib)

(CBS) LOS ANGELES - One of the founders of the Pinkberry frozen yogurt chain pleaded not guilty to assaulting a homeless man on Monday.

According to CBS Los Angeles, Young Lee, 47, allegedly beat a homeless man with a tire iron, breaking his arm in an incident last June.

The Los Angeles Times reports that police say the man approached Lee's rented Range Rover and asked for money while he was stopped at a light in East Hollywood. The two exchanged words and then Lee and a passenger allegedly chased the man and beat him.

According to the Times, the altercation may have been sparked by a sexual tattoo the man had that angered Lee.

Earlier this month, Lee's attorney told the Times that the man "made explicit threats as if he had a weapon, which he may have had."

Lee was arrested on Jan. 17 at LAX on a fugitive warrant, but on Monday the judge granted him permission to travel to South Korea, with the provision that he surrender his passport at his next scheduled court date on March 5.

More on Crimesider
Jan. 17, 2012 - Young Lee, Pinkberry co-founder, arrested for allegedly assaulting homeless man

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by oldabner January 31, 2012 5:13 PM EST

If the homeless guy wasn't bugging Lee for money, he wouldn't have gotten his ass kicked. Anybody who is out and about on the streets of L.A. will be asked for money about 10 times a day. Maybe Lee just had enough of panhandlers and flipped.

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by cosmic-teapot February 1, 2012 5:28 PM EST: Yep, because that's a perfect excuse for whacking someone with a tire iron! How about saying no, getting in your car and driving off? Or is that too sensible for you?