Stephanie Bongiovi and Jon Bon Jovi
/ file photo
CLINTON, ONEIDA CO. -- The criminal charges against rock star Jon Bon Jovi’s daughter have been dropped after the district attorney says state “Good Samaritan” laws prevent her from being prosecuted.
Town of Kirkland police say they, along with emergency personnel, were called to a Hamilton College dorm room just before 2:00 Wednesday morning for a report of a drug overdose. There they say officers found 19-year-old Stephanie R. Bongiovi unconscious, and packets of heroin in the room. Bongiovi was reportedly taken to Faxton-St. Luke’s Medical Center for treatment, and released later in the day.
Bongiovi was initially charged on Wednesday with misdemeanor criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of marijuana, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. However, on Thursday afternoon the Oneida County District Attorney's Office issued a statement saying that due to a state law enacted in September 2011, “…a person who, in good faith, seeks health care for someone who is experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose or other life threatening medical emergency cannot be prosecuted for the possession of heroin weighing less than 8 ounces or possession of any amount of marihuana (sic) resulting from the seeking of such health care.”
The D.A.'s office added that, in Bongiovi's case, “…the individual who has overdosed or who was experiencing such life threatening medical emergency cannot be prosecuted for the possession of heroin weighing less than 8 ounces or possession of any amount of marihuana resulting from the seeking of such health care.”
As a result of this state law, District Attorney Scott McNamara says he is dismissing the charges against both Bongiovi and 21-year-old Ian S. Grant, who was also arrested as a result of the incident.
Stephanie Bongiovi, of Red Bank, New Jersey, is the only daughter and the oldest child of Bon Jovi lead singer Jon Bon Jovi.
