UPDATE: Jermaine flew back to Philadephia last night. He won’t be appearing on the show: (Via TMZ)
“American Idol” contestant Jermaine Jones fled Los Angeles and the “A.I.” guillotine … because we got video of him after he landed in Philadelphia last night.
Jones flew first class — which makes us think “Idol” may have paid for the ticket.
As we reported, the plan was for Jermaine to appear on tonight’s show?, facing the music for lying about his criminal past.
I understood that producers confronted Jermaine on camera yesterday afternoon?
UPDATE : From The Smoking Gun:
Jermaine Jones, 25, is wanted in three separate counties for failing to appear in court on a variety of criminal charges dating back to 2006, according to court records. His two most recent arrests came last year in Camden County, where he works as a vocal instructor.
The oldest warrant stems from a 2006 narcotics bust in Salem County. Jones’s next collar came in 2008 in Woodbury, where he was cited on an open container charge. In 2009 he was nabbed for providing cops with a false name in Winslow Township.
New details about Jermaine Jones’ criminal record from TMZ:
Soon-to-be-axed “American Idol” singer Jermaine Jones is a big, fat phoney … who repeatedly LIED to police … has issues with violence … and terrorized “Idol” staff … according to police documents and information obtained by “A.I.”
We broke the story … Jones will be fired from the show tonight for lying to producers about his criminal history … and now we’ve learned the troubling details from the multiple run-ins with the law Jones was trying to conceal.
One incident went down on March 5, 2011 … when Jones was involved in a fight at a Howard Johnson Hotel in Jersey. We’re told cops responded … but Jermaine gave them a fake name — Joel Jones.
Jermaine was charged with public nuisance and obstruction of justice. He was also arrested for having outstanding warrants.
The next incident went down November 27, 2011 … when Jermaine was the passenger in a car that was pulled over in Gloucester Township, NJ. Jermaine was questioned by cops and ONCE AGAIN gave them a fake name — Kareem Watkins.
Jermaine was charged for hindering apprehension and giving false information to avoid self-discovery. He was also arrested for having outstanding warrants … again.
We’ve learned … Jermaine had a total of 4 outstanding warrants … 3 for driving on a suspended license and 1 for disorderly conduct with an open container.
There’s more … “Idol” sources tell us Jermaine was “very aggressive” behind the scenes … once terrorizing a member of the staff by screaming at her because he didn’t like his wardrobe.
“Idol” sources also tell us … Jermaine had been questioned about his past by the “A.I.” risk management team before he was selected into the top 24 … and he SWORE, among other things, that he hadn’t been in a fight since high school.
Pants on fire … and now his lies have cost him the best opportunity of his life.
The lying is stupid and definitely grounds for a DQ, but the incidents Jeramine was involved in aren’t that terrible–getting into fights, lying to cops after getting stopped, driving with a suspended license, yelling at an AI staff member. He is obviously troubled, but there is nothing here that would damn the guy to hell, really.
I mean, there are dudes who win Grammys after beating the sh*t out of their girlfriends…
There have been Idols with criminal records in the past. Season 2’s Trenyce was picked up for shop lifting. Bo was arrested for cocaine possession, Stefano had a DUI. Those are just a few examples. Idol doesn’t expect their contestants to be squeaky clean, but they DON’T like surprises! If you are upfront with the producers, they’ll stand behind you. (Well, until they decide to bus you–in which case they may leak your record to TMZ. Heh)
