December 28, 2007

Amy Winehouse Summoned To Norwegian Court Over Drug-Possession Charge

By Kurt Orzeck (MTV.com)

Amy Winehouse's life isn't getting any easier. The British songstress, who was arrested last week for questioning in connection with the court case involving her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has been summoned to appear in a Norwegian court due to her appeal of a fine for marijuana possession, according to The Associated Press.

"If one appeals a conviction, it's the rule that one has to appear in person," Liv Karlsen, a spokeswoman for police in the Norwegian city of Bergen, reportedly said. "So this is not surprising."

The day on which Winehouse will appear in a Bergen court has yet to be announced. A spokesperson for Winehouse had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time.

Winehouse and Fielder-Civil, in addition to an unnamed third person, were arrested for possessing the drug at a hotel on October 18 after police received a tip, according to AP. All three were held overnight and released after paying approximately $715 in fines.

In early November, Winehouse's Norwegian attorney said the singer would appeal her fine, claiming that the Norwegian police made mistakes in the case. AP reported that attorney Ole Kvelstad said Winehouse hadn't understood that under Norwegian law, accepting a fine is the same as pleading guilty.

Kvelstad reportedly said Winehouse was interrogated without legal representation or an interpreter and had not fully understood the Norwegian-language charges she was signing. An attorney for the Bergen, Norway, police countered that Winehouse was questioned by an English-speaking police officer, who translated charges and explained the consequences of accepting the fine. If the appeals court lets Winehouse withdraw acceptance of the fine, the original charges could go to trial.

Winehouse's father, Mitch, also weighed in on the arrest in early November, telling English TV program "This Morning" that when the singer was arrested, she mistakenly signed a form taking responsibility. "It didn't belong to her, it belonged to someone else on the tour," he told the program. "They arrested Blake [Fielder-Civil, Winehouse's husband], Amy and the person who was responsible. ... They only released them after they signed a form, which they were told was a release form. ... It was in Norwegian. It was actually a confession, so this is being dealt with now by the Norwegian authorities and the British consulate because the ramifications of that are that she now can't get into the States and she was meant to go next week."

The trip to Norway was one of the first excursions Winehouse made since a hospitalization in August that was reportedly drug-related. That incident resulted in the cancellation of a string of planned U.S. dates, as well as an appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards.