South Carolina’s The Item.com news site is reporting that comedian Katt Williams underwent a psychiatric evaluation over the weekend at the insistence of his family members.
After a string of erratic behavior over the past several weeks, including a Nov. 4 no-show on "Late Night with Conan O’Brien" and an arrest in New York on weapons charges, the comic had run-ins with both city and county law enforcement in Sumter – resulting in an alleged mental evaluation for a possible hospital commitment, at the urging of local family members, the Web site reported.
Sumter Police Department Maj. Perry Herod said officers responded to a suspicious behavior call from the Mount Vernon Inn Friday at 8:30 a.m. in reference to Williams, 35. He "was trying to buy a room while dressed in a bathrobe and a towel wrapped around his head," said Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson. After determining no criminal activity was taking place, officers left.
Attorney Garryl Deas said Williams then visited his office at 201 N. Main St. at around 9 a.m. asking for help. Deas said Williams told him he felt the police were "attempting to violate his rights." Williams also went on to talk about his entertainment career and revealed there were people who thought he was missing because he had failed to report to some engagements, Deas said. The actor said there were even rumors he had died in a plane crash.
Deas said Williams agreed to wait for him to return from a 9:30 a.m. scheduled court appearance. When Deas came back at 10:30 a.m., Williams was waiting for him, but his behavior had changed. "His demeanor was a little troubled," Deas said, adding the actor seemed "disoriented."
About that time, family or close friends of Williams arrived and tried to take him to the hospital for mental evaluation, Deas said. He said the family was seeking to have the actor committed. He was under the impression the family members were a teenaged daughter and the daughter’s mother. Williams, however, was against the hospital visit.
"He just said that he doesn’t trust anyone anymore," Deas said. Williams said he thought "everyone has turned against him. He wasn’t really coherent."
Deas said the family was seeking an order to force him to be seen for a mental evaluation. Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said the call came in around noon and deputies arrived to transport Williams to the hospital. Though he was vocal in his desire not to go, Williams was not physically aggressive.
"Officers did talk with him, and then my understanding is he went on his own to Tuomey Hospital," said Sumter Police Department Maj. Perry Herod.
Meanwhile, Williams is scheduled to appear Nov. 20 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and on Dec. 31 in Detroit with comedian Steve Harvey. Williams has reportedly said the Dec. 31 gig will be his last stand-up show.
This story was reprinted with permission from www.eurweb.com.
