Story highlights
- Prosecutors must decide if egging is prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor
- Bieber attorneys met with prosecutors Tuesday to argue egging was "a silly prank"
- L.A. County Sheriff's detectives are pushing for a felony charge
- Bieber sold his Calabasas home to Khloe Kardashian and has moved out
Justin Bieber's lawyers are trying to persuade Los Angeles County prosecutors not to charge the singer with a felony in the alleged egg attack on a neighbor, sources close to the case told CNN Wednesday.
The potential vandalism charge is what lawyers called a "wobbler," meaning the district attorney must decide if it will be prosecuted as a felony -- which has much more serious consequences -- or as a misdemeanor.
Several sources close to the investigation tell CNN there is little doubt Bieber will be charged with vandalism for the January incident and a decision should be announced soon.
Bieber attorneys Howard Weitzman and Shawn Holley met with prosecutors Tuesday to argue that since the egging was "a silly prank" and Bieber has no criminal record, it should be treated as a misdemeanor, two sources said.
Bieber's house searched after egg attack 03:15
'Lil Za' cuffed in raid on Bieber home 02:29
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives are pushing for a felony charge, based on the estimated $20,000 in damage caused by the eggs to the mansion next door.
Justin's on the move
Bieber, 20, sold his Calabasas, California, mansion to Khloe Kardashian earlier this month and has already moved his skateboard ramp, video games and fast cars from the home where he's lived for the past two years, a source close to him confirmed.
Despite tabloid speculation that Bieber planned to make Atlanta his new home, a source close to him told CNN that would not happen. He spent most of February in Atlanta, where he began his professional recording career, but in recent weeks he has flown to Florida, Texas and Canada.
Bieber is now in Toronto, where he is working on new music, according to his Twitter postings.
He is scheduled to be tried on a DUI charge in Miami on May 4. He also has an assault charge pending in Toronto, related to an alleged attack on his limo driver.
None of the criminal charges facing Bieber, including the expected vandalism count, appear to threaten his freedom. Probation sentences, fines, community service and counseling are routinely given in such cases.
Bieber's Los Angeles lawyers are experienced in keeping their celebrity clients out of jail, although that can be a challenge if the client fails to comply with probation requirements.
Attorney Shawn Holley also represents actress Lindsay Lohan, who became the poster child for probation violators after two drunken driving convictions. Lohan's career was derailed by supervised probation, which was interrupted several times by trips to jail and court-ordered rehab.
Singer Chris Brown sits in a Los Angeles jail now because of repeated probation violations stemming from his 2009 assault conviction for the beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna. Brown's prospects for resuming his music career anytime soon are dimmed by the requirement that he work on a highway cleanup crew three days a week for eight months after he is released from jail.
