David Crosby Arrested on Pot, Gun Charges

03/06/2004 8:41 PM, AP
Donna De La Cruz

Musician David Crosby was arrested on marijuana and gun possession charges early Saturday at a Times Square hotel, hours after earning a standing ovation at a New Jersey concert, police said.

Crosby, 62, a two-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was arrested at 1 a.m. at the DoubleTree Suites Hotel with an ounce of marijuana, a .45-caliber handgun and a knife in his possession, police said.

The singer had performed Friday night with his band, CPR, at a Wayne, N.J., college. One night earlier, they had played at the B.B. King Blues Club in Manhattan.

The veteran rocker had checked out of the hotel after the Manhattan show, but left behind a piece of luggage, police said. A hotel worker found the luggage Friday and went through it looking for identification and discovered the marijuana, gun and knives and called authorities, police said.

Crosby later called the hotel to say he would be returning to pick up the luggage, and was greeted by police when he came back, investigators said.

Crosby, dressed in black jeans and a T-shirt, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, a felony, during his initial court appearance.

He also was charged with illegal possession of a hunting knife and illegal possession of ammunition — he had three magazines with a total of 26 rounds — and illegal possession of about one ounce of marijuana, which was found in a wooden box.

He faces up to seven years on the gun charge if convicted.

He was released on $3,500 bail. Crosby's attorney, David Parker, could not be reached for comment.

Crosby was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. He was convicted in 1985 of drug possession in Dallas and spent a year in prison before his conviction was overturned on appeal.