Joe Pesci punch charges KO'd

24-02-2006 12:20

'Goodfellas' star Joe Pesci will not be charged after allegedly punching a fan in the face.The star reportedly hit out when the stranger tried to take a picture of him in a car park in Boca Raton, Florida in January (06).Assistant State Attorney Jill Estey Richstone from Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office said they would not be taking it further because there was no likelihood of conviction. In a statement, Richstone wrote: "The investigating officer was unable to determine who the primary aggressor was and there are no independent witnesses to the incident."24-year-old Juan Carlos Montenegro claimed Pesci punched him on Jan. 22after he took a picture of the star, despite being told not to.According to the police report, the Oscar-nominated star claimed he tried to swat away the camera and inadvertently hit the student's face after he put his arm around the actor's neck and shoulders in a pose for a picture.

According to the State Attorney's Office, if Pesci had been prosecuted, he could have faced a misdemeanor battery charge punishable by up to a year in jail.