Rip Torn - A Character With a Serious Problem

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 Litchfield Superior Court Judge James P. Ginnochio is finally saying enough is enough - after Actor Elmore "Rip" Torn was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, carrying a firearm while intoxicated,  first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree criminal mischief. The burglary charge was dropped, but Torn faces a minimum sentence to a year in jail if convicted.

Torn was hoping to have the charges dropped, failing that - the 79-year-old has pleaded not guilty. It is likely his lawyer will once again move towards alcohol treatment when they return to court on Sept 15th.

Police say he allegedly forced entry by breaking a window and tearing out a screen when he broke into the  Litchfield Bancorp building on Main Street, in January - setting off an alarm. When North Canaan police responded, they found Torn "with a loaded revolver and highly intoxicated," according to a police report.

Mark E. Macomber, President/CEO of Litchfield Bancorp in Connecticut, said no one was in the building at the time Torn allegedly broke in and the only damage was Torn's point of entry. Macomber spoke to authorities in Connecticut who told him Torn was found lying on the floor. Calling the incident a "serious matter", Macomber says he didn't believe Torn was trying to steal anything or hurt anyone.  He said cops believe Torn thought he was in his own house.

http://my.nowpublic.com/culture/rip-torn-arrested-again-breaking-bank-gun-2566688.html

http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2010/01/30/news/doc4b645e4c82bfc332147864.txt

Torn has a significant history of alcohol related problems; in 2008 he was charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane - the actor refused to cooperate with the LE. He would not submit to a blood-alcohol test, after he failed 3 field sobriety tests -  Then 75, Torn did not go to jail - nor did he attend the 10 or 15 classes offered by the state, he was approved to attend the Amethyst Foundation Inc. The agency is a private, nonprofit organization that offers an intensive weekend substance abuse program.

He pleaded guilty in 2007, to a lesser charge, of being ability impaired - Police refused to release a videotape of that incident, which allegedly showed him acting belligerently toward officers, because he was granted special probation.

In January, 2004, Torn was found not guilty of DWI following his arrest  in New York City after crashing his car into a taxi.