Sharif tangos with Mexican Valet, Valet wins

By Stone Martindale Feb 13, 2007, 22:41 GMT

Egypt\'s veteran film star Omar Sharif EPA/STRINGER

BEVERLY HILLS, California - In November 2005, Juan Anderson, a Mastro's valet, filed a lawsuit against actor Omar Sharif, claiming the actor allegedly called him a "stupid Mexican" when he refused to accept a Euro note as payment, then allegedly smacked him repeatedly over the head with a closed fist.

Today Sharif pleaded no contest to hitting Anderson, a Beverly Hills parking attendant in the face and was sentenced to probation and anger management counseling.

Sharif, 74, the Egyptian-born actor who played in many notable roles including "Lawrence of Arabia," did not appear in Beverly Hills Superior Court to settle the 2005 case but entered his plea through his lawyer.

A no contest plea is the same as pleading guilty under California law. Sharif had originally pleaded not guilty and changed his plea on the day his jury trial was set to begin.

Reuters reports he was sentenced to two years probation, 15 sessions of anger management and told to stay away from Anderson, the parking attendant. He was also fined $1,000.

According to a lawsuit filed by parking attendant Juan Anderson, Sharif was drunk when he left a Beverly Hills steakhouse around midnight in June 2005 and found that his car was not waiting for him.

Sharif demanded the parking valet find his car, offered him a 20 euro bill ($26) in payment.  He subsequently assaulted Anderon when the valet refused the Euro.

Sharif was charged with misdemeanor battery and could have been sentenced to a maximum six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Reuters reports that Sharif has a bit of history with conflicts, in 2003 he was given a one-month suspended sentence by a French court for head-butting a police officer in a suburban Paris casino.