Tawny Kitaen’s drug/legal problems – A summary

For a long time, Tawny seemed to have no legal issues that came into public awareness. That all began to change on 12-13-01, when the police arrested her in Newport Beach, supposedly for keying the paint on another woman’s car.

Not long afterwards, Tawny was arrested again in the same city for spousal abuse and battery as a result of kicking her husband, Chuck Finley, with her high heels while the they drove home. According to Finley, Tawny also grabbed his ear and left visible damage. There is an urban-legend that it takes 7 lbs of force to pull off an ear. In reality it takes much more. People have speculated that she was attempting to literally pull his ear off. Chuck was quick to file for divorce.

Tawny wrote in her court papers that she had formed an addiction to prescription drugs for headaches and depression. Suprising, Chuck Finley received a restraining order against Tawny and temporary custody of their children. The law mandated that Tawny go through counseling for substance abuse, anger management and conflict resolution. She also had to make a donation to a local shelter for victims of spousal abuse.

Things were quiet until November of 2006, when police charged Tawny Kitaen with possession of coke. Police claimed her two duaghters were home when the bust was underway, and Tawny gave cops permission for the search. A month later, she went into rehab for 6-months, as part of a plea deal. This got her out of the felony cocaine posession charges.

Tawny Kitaen is going to be a part of VH1’s series, Celebrity Rehab which will air in the fall on 2008. Looks to be an interesting series.