Pinkberry Co-Founder to Be Arraigned on Assault Charges

Pinkberry co-founder Young Lee is scheduled to be arraigned for allegedly beating a homeless man with a tire iron who he believed was being disrespectful, police said Tuesday.

Lee, 47, was arrested Monday afternoon at Los Angeles International Airport on an outstanding warrant for assault with a deadly weapon while returning from a trip. He was released on $60,000 bail.

Shortly after 3 p.m. on June 15, 2011, prosecutors said Lee and a second unidentified suspect confronted the victim because Lee thought the victim had disrespected him by exposing a sexually explicit tattoo.

The two parked their car on Vermont Avenue near the Hollywood Freeway offramp then allegedly beat the victim with a tire iron, striking him on his head and arm, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The victim sustained a broken left forearm and several cuts to his head, police said.

Lee was later identified as a suspect after witnesses gave police his vehicle’s license number.

He is charged with one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon with special allegation that the assault caused great bodily injury.

Lee's attorney, Philip Cohen, claims the homeless man threaten him and his companion and that Lee is innocent of all charges.

"He is, quite frankly, looking forward to clearing his name," Cohen said. "No crime has been committed by my client of any kind and we're going to deal with this case in the proper forum, which is the court."

Lee, who was convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor carrying a loaded firearm in 2001, is facing up to seven years in state prison if convicted.

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