HOLLYWOOD—The co-founder of Pinkberry was convicted on Friday, November 8 for the beating of a homeless man with a tire iron in Hollywood.
Young Lee was found guilty of the assault that took place on June 15, 2011.
Lee, now 49, was traveling in a SUV on Vermont Avenue near the off-ramp of the 101 freeway with his fiancé when a transient by the name of Donald Bolding, flashed a sexually explicit tattoo in their direction. It was at that point that Lee demanded an apology from Bolding for disrespect, which turned violent when Lee beat Bolding with a tire iron.
Bolding was left with a broken left forearm and several cuts and bruises, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The statement also notes that it took the jury less than two days to come back with a verdict.
Lee faces up to seven years in prison. He returns to court for sentencing on January 14, 2014.
Bolding filed a civil lawsuit on May 1, 2012, against Lee. The suit, which demands a jury trial, alleges that Lee forced Bolding to get on his knees and apologize for brandishing his tattoo at Lee.
“[Bolding] had not done anything for which he needed to apologize…and had the lawful right to engage in speech and or display, however, inadvertent, of the tattoo on his body,” says the lawsuit.
The suit was continued to December 17, 2013, following the results of the criminal trial.
Lee no longer has ties to Pinkberry; he left the company in May 2010. According to a statement released by the company in February 2012, “He has no influence or input into the company in any way, and the parties have not been in communications with one another since Mr. Lee’s exit.”
