Amy Winehouse In Trouble Again

Amy Winehouse is facing assault charges after an incident that occurred on September 26 of last year. The British soul-singer was serving as back-up vocals for her goddaughter’s debut at the Berkeley Square Charity Ball, during which she embarrassed herself and her goddaughter, and punched a fan in the face.

Winehouse attended a hearing March 17 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to decide whether her offense was dire enough to call for a fine or simply a slap on the wrist. Winehouse gave her married name, Amy Jade Civil, even though her husband Blake Fielder-Civil, is in jail for perverting the cause of justice after a bar brawl, asked his lawyer to “commence divorce proceedings citing adultery.”

What the scantily clad singer was not expecting from the 15-minute hearing, was for Judge Timothy Workman to order a full trial set for July 23 later this year. She was released on unconditional bail, and has already planned a trip to the Caribbean.

The charity event, and “scene of the crime”, was an end-of-summer affair graced by 850 guests, “...a high society ball attended by a host of VIPs in their most glamorous gowns.” Winehouse, however, seemed to have missed that memo as she appeared in scruffy animal print shorts and a black tank top, revealing both her bra and sickly slim frame. In pictures of the event, her twelve-year-old goddaughter, Dionne Bromfield, couldn’t have looked happier to have her godmother on the stage with her, hugging her and cheering her on. The view from the audience, on the other hand, was slightly different. “It was tragic - she seemed totally wasted. She was jumping all over Dionne as the poor girl tried to sing for the crowd. Amy didn’t really sing a single note - it sounded more like she was grunting down the mic.”

When Bromfield had finished singing, another back-up vocalist praised her amazing performance, only to be affronted by Winehouse, “She’s better than you- it doesn’t matter how old she is.” The troubled singer left the group and started roaming the tables, demanding to meet famous people. A fan of Winehouse’s, 30-year-old dancer Sherene Flash, spotted her among the tables and approached her, asking for a picture.

An eyewitness said, “Sherene asked Amy if she could take a photo. Amy was OK at first, but when Sherene asked if a friend could get in the shot, Amy lashed out... She was getting distressed. There was a lot of grabbing and flashbulbs were going off. She was startled.” Winehouse was said to have fled backstage where she collapsed, sobbing, “Life can’t go on. I can’t do this anymore.” Was she talking about her recurring tabloid-worthy episodes, or her worsening drug-addiction? An overdose of heroin, ecstasy, cocain, ketamine, and alcohol had her hospitalized back in August, and in rehab the beginning of this year. She arrived at her Camden home later that night, with a missing shoe and looking quite disheveled. “She looked like a woman possessed.”

The incident appeared to have been forgotten until this year. A spokesman released this statement, “Amy voluntarily attended a police station in London yesterday morning [March 5, 2009]. She was questioned by appointment in relation to an accusation made after the Berkeley Ball last year. She was charged with common assault and will attend a court hearing in the next few weeks.”

Until the trial, Winehouse will be in St. Lucia, headlining the 18th Annual St. Lucia Jazz festival, running from May 2-10. She has been booted from the Coachella Festival in California because the U.S. is refusing to give her a work visa. Sen. Allen Chastanet, St. Lucia's Minister of Tourism, says they love having Winehouse in St. Lucia. They government is even trying to get recording studios for her to set up something a little more permanent. “It really was a positive influence on her," Chastanet said, "She had a really great time." It’s a good thing something’s having a good influence on her. She’ll need to appear a little more restrained and down-to-earth come July. A sentence may depend on it.