Kanye West charged with battery, attempted theft in airport scuffle

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Kanye West has been charged with battery and attempted grand theft for an alleged altercation with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport, a city official said on Friday. The alleged altercation took place on July 19, Los Angeles City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan said. A video posted on celebrity news website TMZ of the incident shows the Grammy-winning rapper glaring at photographers as he leaves the airport. West confronts one of the photographers and appears to lunge at him. Mateljan said that West, 36, also attempted to take equipment from the photographer. Each misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison. West is scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles on October 10. The rapper's representative did not immediately return a request for comment on Friday. West has become a frequent target of paparazzi after striking up a romance last year with reality TV star Kim Kardashian. The couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl named North West, in June. (Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Eric Beech)