Celeb Photog Pleads Not Guilty

A photographer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to six misdemeanor charges alleging he struck a 5-year-old girl with his camera and shoved two amusement park employees out of the way to take pictures of Reese Witherspoon and her children.

Todd Wallace, 44, faces four counts of battery, one count of false imprisonment and causing and permitting any child to suffer, and one count of inflicting unjustifiable mental suffering.

If convicted of all charges, Wallace faces up to 3½ years behind bars. He remains free on his own recognizance and is scheduled to return to court Oct. 28.

Orange County Superior Court Commissioner George Berenson also ordered Wallace to stay 300 yards away from the "Legally Blonde" actress.

Wallace allegedly became angry when Witherspoon and her friends declined to be photographed Sept. 2 at Disney's California Adventure and cursed them. Witherspoon's group was at the amusement park for a birthday party for her 6-year-old daughter.

Police said Wallace took photos from afar, but once he got close to the group, he became aggressive and scared some of the people, including some children, who were in tears.

Outside the courtroom, Wallace said he has photos and video that show he did nothing wrong.

Wallace served more than four years in prison after a 1993 conviction for second-degree burglary and receiving goods by fraud, according to state corrections records.

In August, prosecutors decided not to charge photographers whom Witherspoon said chased her from her gym and trapped her outside the West Los Angeles gated community where she lives with her husband, Ryan Phillippe, and their children.