Douridas denies any wrongdoing
LAX COURTHOUSE — Local radio show host and Grammy Award-nominated film consultant Chris Douridas pleaded not guilty Friday to felony cocaine possession, a charge that could land the popular deejay in state prison for up to three years.
Douridas, host of KCRW-FM’s “New Ground,” made his plea before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz. Douridas is free on $1 million bail and is expected back in court July 25, according to prosecutor Hamid Towfigh, who refused to disclose the amount of cocaine allegedly found in Douridas’ possession.
The 43-year-old Douridas was arrested by Santa Monica police outside of the Circle Bar on Main Street shortly after midnight on Jan. 6 for narcotics possession and allegedly drugging and kidnapping a 14-year-old girl, who used a fake I.D. to gain entrance to bar.
The District Attorney’s Office investigated the case for more than five months before filing the drug charge against Douridas earlier this week. Prosecutors said they found “insufficient evidence to file any additional charges” against Douridas.
Christopher Chaney, the attorney representing Douridas, said his client was pleased with the outcome of the District Attorney’s investigation and was confident all along that no kidnapping charges would be filed. Douridas has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing.
Chaney said his client is “OK,”but still struggling with the death of his 14-year-old daughter Marieke, who suffered a grand mal seizure and died April 30.
“This has been a tragic year for him,” Chaney said. “He lost his daughter recently and everything else just pales in comparison. When I told him that the District Attorney had concluded the investigation and that no charges would be filed, he seemed to receive very little satisfaction.
“He’s trying to take everything one day at a time.” KCRW Assistant General Manager Jennifer Ferro said in a statement that the station fully supports Douridas through this “difficult time.”
“We know there were some who rushed to an unwarranted judgment,” Ferro said.“We are hopeful this matter can be resolved in a positive way.”
An employee at the Circle Bar told the Daily Press in an interview days after the arrest that he saw Douridas and another man, David Keffer of Malibu, slip something into the teen’s drink, causing her to become ill within 10 minutes.
“She was crazy,” witness Juan Hernandez said during the interview, describing the girl as nearly unconscious and vomiting. “I was watching them and I saw him put powder in her drink.”
When the teen became disoriented, Hernandez said Douridas and Keffer carried her outside of the bar on Main Street and placed her in a vehicle parked nearby.
The co-owner of the Circle Bar, Will Karges, said in a prior interview with the Daily Press that he convinced Douridas and Keffer to remove the girl from the car. She was allegedly placed on the sidewalk, lying face down, convulsing and unconscious.
Police and paramedics arrived a short time later and tried to revive the teen at the scene, to no avail. She was then taken to a local hospital. Her condition is not known.
Karges said the SMPD’s forensic unit showed up and cordoned off a section of the club with police tape and began surveying the crime scene. A bartender saved the supposed tainted drink that was left on the bar and a capsule was found on the floor.
The girl looked much older than her age, Karges said. She was described as Asian, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a body that was developed beyond her years. She was dressed nicely and accessorized. She clearly felt comfortable in a bar setting, especially since she was by herself, both Karges and Hernandez reported.
No charges have been filed against Keffer, Towfigh said. Along with hosting “New Ground,”a Saturday morning radio show that features new recording artists, Douridas has helped compile soundtracks for movies such as “Shrek 2,”“As Good As it Gets,” “Grosse Pointe Blank,” “Austin Powers 2: The Spy Who Shagged Me” and the Academy-Award winning “American Beauty,”for which Douridas was nominated for a Grammy.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 1, 2006. Read the original PDF.