Did Richard Belzer of Law and Order Get the "Star Treatment" with Apple Store Employee?

Richard Belzer of Law and Order is accused of attacking an Apple store employee, as reported at NYDailyNews.com. However, the actor walked away from the incident without punishment.

An Apple employee has accused Law and Order's Richard Belzer of attacking her. Belzer says it was just a joke

It is not uncommon to get impatient in a store, especially one that is popular and that contains a lot of customers, but attacking an employee is not the recommend route to go. Richard Belzer of Law and Order, who is 6' 1", entered an Apple store and is accused of grabbing a 5' 2" Apple store employee, choking her and barking "I need help!" Belzer claims it was just a joke, but the employee told her grandmother, "Nana, he didn't just touch me, he choked me and really scared me."

Witnesses said Belzer walked in and out of the store several times and paced up and down the block. Such behavior is a good indication that Belzer was impatient and wanted someone to pay attention to him. The proper way to get a store employee to pay attention to you is to approach the employee in a normal manner. If you still don't get the attention you deserve as a customer, you should request to speak to the manager. Physicial abuse is inappropriate and is normally against the law.

Richard Belzer of Law and Order was not booked for assault. Would the same have happened if he was just a "nobody?"

Richard Belzer is a star in the popular television show Law and Order, but does that give him the right to do whatever he wants in public? If a television star walked into a restaurant, chances are he's going to get the best table available. If he wants to buy some clothes retail, chances are the store may clear out an area so that the performer is not accosted by members of the public. However, when is star treatment appropriate and when is it not appropriate? Says Jonathan Fox who witnessed the incident, "If it was one of us, we'd be locked up right now."

Is Fox right? Richard Belzer of Law and Order was questioned by police, called the incident a joke and walked away with no charges. Meanwhile, an Apple employee has accused him of attacking her. Should celebrities be held to the same standards of the law as ordinary citizens? Or should the star treatment extend to rules and regulations of society as well?

Sources:

Kerry Burke, Rocco Parascandola, John Lauinger, 'Law and Order' star Richard Belzer accused of attacking Apple store employee, NYDailyNews.com