Jillian Lauren, bestselling author and wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, has been granted entry into a two-year mental health diversion programme following her court appearance in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The decision offers Lauren the opportunity to have felony charges dismissed if she successfully completes the programme.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Susan J. De Witt found Lauren eligible for the diversion after she faced charges of negligent gunfire and assault with a semiautomatic firearm. The charges stem from an incident on April 8th when Lauren exchanged gunfire with LAPD officers in her Eagle Rock neighbourhood backyard.
“We think this was the right resolution,” Lauren’s lawyer, Hilary Lee Potashner, told Rolling Stone.
The mental health programme requires Lauren to participate in regular counselling sessions and submit to random drug and alcohol testing. She is also prohibited from possessing firearms during the two-year period. Court sources confirmed these conditions as part of her diversion agreement.
The April incident occurred when police officers were searching for hit-and-run suspects allegedly hiding in neighbouring backyards. According to LAPD reports, Lauren fired at several officers who were shouting instructions over a fence. Body-worn camera footage and home surveillance video released by the department captured the chaotic scene, which lasted nearly 22 minutes.
In the footage, multiple officers were heard repeatedly instructing someone to drop their weapon, though the person was not visible due to the height of the fence. The compilation showed the hectic nature of the encounter, with a police helicopter overhead adding to the confusion. Officers identified themselves as police and California Highway Patrol during the exchange.
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Lauren’s home surveillance system provided a different perspective, showing her exiting her house with a black handgun and walking around the perimeter. The video appeared to show her manipulating and firing the weapon before walking away calmly. After police opened fire in response, Lauren sustained a gunshot wound to her arm.
In a 911 call released by authorities, Lauren could be heard explaining her version of events. “I had my gun, and he said, ‘Put down that gun. Put down that gun.’ I said, ‘Put down your fucking gun.’ And then he shot me,” she stated during the call.
Lauren was arrested approximately an hour after the shooting and taken to hospital for treatment. Initially booked on suspicion of attempted murder, she was released on $1 million bail. Prosecutors later reduced the charges to the current felony counts.
Police recovered a 9mm Glock handgun and spent shell casing from Lauren’s residence during their investigation.
Following the incident, Shriner continued with Weezer’s scheduled performance at Coachella just days later. Weezer head to Australia later this year.
