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Singer Mario Arrested for Assaulting Mother

By Laura Strachan, Esq. on October 05, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Let Me Love You is just one of the many chart-topping songs singer Mario has produced. It seems that he has a funny way of showing his love. Mario was recently arrested for assaulting his mother, Shawntia Hardaway.

According to the New York Daily News, 24 year-old Mario (real name: Mario Dewar Bennett) was arrested on Friday morning for second degree assault and later released on $50,000 bond. The NY Daily News adds that police found several broken items in the apartment Mario shares with his mother, including a broken mirror, china cabinent, and hole in a hallway closet. 45 year-old Hardaway called police in the early morning hours to report the incident, and also told police that Mario pushed her, causing "minor pain." She also told police that she feared for her life.

The sad reality of this arrest is that there is much more to the relationship than meets the police report. The mother-son duo have a documented struggle together. Hardaway, a former heroin addict, was filmed in a 2007 MTV documentary entitled "I Won't Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom" about Mario's struggle to help his mother beat her addiction. Because of her serious addiction issues, Mario was raised by his grandmother. The Baltimore Sun quotes a statement by Mario's attorney: "Anyone who has waged a battle to save loved ones from the forces of drugs knows the irrational behavior that almost always accompanies their actions. Mario remains committed to supporting his mother."

Assault is both a crime and a tort which means that in addition to criminal charges stemming from the violent encounter with his mother, Hardaway could also sue her son for civil damages. The charge of second degree assault is merely a classification scheme based on the nature of the assualt and the injuries sustained. Although a civil suit is unlikely in this case, Mario could face jail time if convicted. The circumstances leading up to the police call that night are unknown at this time. Mario is scheduled to appear in court on November 9.

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