Scott Weiland is a free man, despite reports claiming that the former Stone Temple Pilots frontman was arrested in July for alleged burglary and drug possession, according to Rolling Stone.
On July 26, Beverly Hills police arrested a man for an alleged burglary at a Rite Aid in Beverly Hills and possession of a controlled substance. Beverly Hills Police said the suspect identified himself as Weiland and was held on $20,000 bail but was then upped to $95,000. The Los Angeles Times reported that the individual they arrested is actually Jason Michael Hurley, 44.
According to E! Online, the Beverly Hills Police Department released a statement explaining the situation.
"On Saturday, July 26, 2014, at approximately 9:34 a.m., the Beverly Hills Police Department received a call of a shoplift that had just occurred at the Rite Aid in the 400 Block of N. Bedford Drive," the statement read. "Police units ultimately arrested a suspect for that crime. Upon arrest, the suspect identified himself as former Stone Temple Pilots band member Scott Weiland."
"On Thursday, August 21, 2014, Beverly Hills Police discovered through an FBI Fingerprint Return that the subject arrested was not Scott Weiland. The fingerprint return positively identified the individual as Jason Michael Hurley, 44 years of age. Beverly Hills Police will be requesting an additional criminal filing on Hurley for furnishing police officers with false information."
The singer posted a video on Facebook Thursday denying the rumors that he has been in jail since July 26. Weiland said he was not arrested for shoplifting and drug possession, a story which was first published by gossip site TMZ and later confirmed by the Beverly Hills Police Department.
While sitting in a music studio in Los Angeles, Weiland said that he has not been in the jail the past four weeks, but instead "locked up" in the studio recording new material for his album.
"I just got done reading something very interesting - a nice piece of fiction from TMZ saying that I was in jail and have been for a month," he said in the video. "I've actually been touring, writing and recording my new album. In the studio we're in right now, a Los Angeles studio. So all I have to say to our fans is whether you find it funny, or interesting, or whether you're sad, don't worry, don't fret. It's a lie."
The rock star said he plans to take legal action against the gossip site, adding, "TMZ, you'll be hearing from my attorneys. Thank you."
