Justin Bieber: Rein In The Paparazzi

Los Angeles

The death of the paparazzo who snapped shots of Justin Bieber's exotic Ferrari has spurred renewed debate over dangers paparazzi can bring on themselves and the celebrities they chase.

The accident prompted some stars, including the teen heartthrob himself, to renew their calls for tougher laws to rein in their pursuers, though previous urgings have been stymied by protections through various laws in the US.

The 29-year-old photographer, identified as Chris Guerra according to the LA Times, was killed after being hit by a Toyota Highlander during a routine traffic stop on one of Los Angeles busiest highways.

'Bound to happen'

In a statement, Bieber said his prayers were with the photographer's family.

"Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves," Bieber said in the statement released by Island Def Jam Music Group.

Much of Hollywood was abuzz about the death, including Miley Cyrus, who sent several tweets critical of some of the actions of paparazzi and lamenting that the unfortunate accident was "bound to happen."

"Hope this paparazzi/JB accident brings on some changes in '13," Cyrus said on her Twitter page. "Paparazzi are dangerous! Wasn't Princess Di enough of a wake-up call?!"

Fellow paparazzi recall incidents

Paparazzi roaming the streets of Southern California have been commonplace for more than a decade as the shutterbugs looked to land exclusive shots that can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Industry veterans recalled incidents where paparazzi chasing celebrities have been injured, but they couldn't remember a photographer being killed while working.

"Here in the state of California, I'm surprised this hasn't happened before," said Giles Harrison, a celebrity photographer and owner of London Entertainment Group.

Harrison is familiar with the backlash against paparazzi. He and another photographer were convicted of misdemeanor false imprisonment and sentenced to jail for boxing in Arnold Schwarzenegger and his family as they sat in their Hummer in 1998.

Citing that incident and the death of Princess Diana, the state Legislature passed its first anti-paparazzi measure a year later. It created hefty civil penalties that could be paid to stars whose privacy was invaded.

Laws and violations

Six months ago, a paparazzo was charged with reckless driving in a high-speed pursuit of Bieber and with violating a separate, 2010 state law that toughened punishment for those who drive dangerously in pursuit of photos for commercial gain.

However, a judge last month dismissed the paparazzi law charges, saying the law was overly broad.

The judge cited problems with the statute, saying it was aimed at news gathering activities protected by the law, and lawmakers should have increased penalties for reckless driving rather than target those who photograph celebrities.

City prosecutors said they would appeal the judge's ruling.

The law was prompted by the experiences of Jennifer Aniston, who provided details to a lawmaker about being unable to drive away after she was surrounded by paparazzi on Pacific Coast Highway.

No photo worth a life

Harrison said he routinely tells his photographers to be safe when they are working.

"In any job you have to exercise a degree of common sense and caution," he said.

Harrison hopes celebrities and paparazzi examine their actions to ensure a similar event doesn't happen again. No photo is worth someone's life, he said.

"Everybody wants to be the first one to get that shot, get that scoop," Harrison said. "But at the end of the day, you can't spend money if you are dead."

On Tuesday, a friend of Bieber's was behind the wheel of the Ferrari when a California Highway Patrol officer pulled it over for speeding along Interstate 405, authorities said.

"This photographer evidently had been following the white Ferrari and when it was pulled over after sundown he stopped, parked and crossed the street to snap photos," Los Angeles police Detective Charles Walton told AP.

'Difficult to see him'

The photographer stood on a low freeway railing to shoot photographs of the traffic stop over a chain-link fence, authorities have revealed.

"The CHP officer told him numerous times that it wasn't safe for him to be there and to return to his vehicle," Walton said.

There were no sidewalks or pedestrian crossings along the street where the photographer had parked, so the driver of the car that struck him had no reason to expect a pedestrian, Walton said of the accident.

"It would have been very difficult for her to see him," the detective said.

It wasn't immediately clear how fast the motorist, a 69-year-old woman, was traveling, but she was not believe to be at fault and was unlikely to be cited, police said.

- AP