Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black faces assault allegations in UK Court

Dustin Lance Black, the acclaimed Oscar-winning screenwriter known for his work on "Milk," has been officially charged with assault following a confrontation in a London bar with Teddy Edwardes, a presenter on BBC3’s "The Big Proud Party Agency." The incident, which has garnered significant media attention, took place in August 2022 at the Freedom bar in Soho, leading to Black's recent court appearance, where he pleaded not guilty.

Westminster Magistrates Court confirmed that Black faced a charge of assault by beating, as stated by a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service. Despite the allegations, Black has been granted unconditional bail, with a court date set for August 8 to further address the charges.

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Dustin Lance Black Faces Assault Allegations

The altercation between Lance Black and Edwardes reportedly occurred on August 18, 2022, prompting police response to the scene at the Wardour Street establishment. Initially, both parties made allegations of common assault, though no injuries were reported, and no arrests were made at the time.

A representative for Lance Black expressed surprise and disappointment regarding the legal developments, especially after Edwardes had taken responsibility for an action that resulted in a severe head injury for Black.

"After the other person involved in this unfortunate incident took responsibility and expressed remorse for a punch to the back of Mr. Black’s head — which left him with a life-altering concussion — a decision was made to now examine the matter of a spilled drink in a court of law," the rep told the U.K. newspaper Metro.

In September, Black opened up about the serious head injury he sustained, which led to a temporary withdrawal from public and social media engagements. He detailed his difficult recovery process, highlighting the challenges he faced as a creative individual reliant on his mental faculties.

"Showing little improvement, my doctors ordered me to shut off my brain in hopes of it healing. This has been a challenging, frightening time for a creative type who depends on what’s in his skull to work, care and love," Black shared in a post.

Edwardes alleges that the conflict arose after she invited Black and his husband, British Olympic diver Tom Daly, to her table, resulting in Black throwing a drink at her during an ensuing argument.

Edwardes' response to the incident was to "choose violence," albeit minimally, by giving Lance Black "a little tap on the head," as she described in an Instagram post.

The Metropolitan Police were called to the scene following an altercation involving a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s, but the situation did not lead to immediate arrests.

This legal proceeding has brought renewed attention to both individuals, with Lance Black's significant contributions to film and television, including the creation of "Under the Banner of Heaven" and writing the 2011 film "J Edgar," being overshadowed by the ongoing case.