Actor Torn Ripped Again

Examiner Detroit

Actor Rip (Elmore) Torn, age 79, was taken into custody at the Litchfield Bancorp and booked on charges including illegal possession of a handgun while intoxicated, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal trespassing and third-degree criminal mischief. He is currently being held on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear Monday in Bantam Superior Court according to reports from The Associated Press.

A resident of Salisbury, CT, where he lives with third wife actress Amy Wright, Torn has appeared on television, the stage and big screen. He has won numerous awards for his work in all three media, but is, perhaps, most recognized by the younger generation for his role as in the Men In Black films starring opposite Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. He is also an accomplished painter and video artist.

Despite this, Torn has been deeply troubled by alcoholism. He was arrested in New York City in January 2004, after his car collided with a taxi. He was arrested again for drunk driving in North Salem, New York in December 2006 after colliding with a tractor-trailer. In April 2007, Torn pleaded guilty and had his drivers license suspended for 90 days and was required to pay a fine of $380 and needed alcohol rehab.

Another arrest occurred on December 14, 2008, when Rip Torn was picked up on suspicion of drunk driving. A bartender at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, is reported to have served the actor, but apparently noticed he appeared intoxicated as he was leaving the establishment, according to a police report. Torn reportedly refused a ride home and got into his vehicle and drove away. He was convicted and sentenced to probation in May 2009. Torn was given probation in the drink-driving case and granted permission to enter an alcohol education program with alcoholics anonymous.

Alcohol abuse can have serious consequences that impact every system in the body, causing a wide range of health problems such as poor nutrition, liver diseases (including cirrhosis and hepatitis), high blood pressure, muscle weakness, irregularities with heart rhythm, anemia, clotting disorders, decreased immunity to infections, gastrointestinal inflammation and irritation, acute and chronic problems with the pancreas, low blood sugar, high blood fat content, interference with reproductive fertility, and weakened bones, as well as memory loss and difficulty with balance.

In addition, a special report prepared for the U.S. Congress by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, illustrates its severe effect on society as a whole, including "violence, traffic accidents, lost work productivity, and premature death, costs our nation an estimated $185 billion annually. It is also estimated that approximately one in four children (19 million children or 29% of children up to 17 years of age) is exposed at some time to familial alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, or both."