'Ed' Costar Randall Faces Drug Charge

By Stephen M. Silverman

Friday August 02, 2002 10:00 AM EDT

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Josh Randall, who plays the warmhearted Dr. Mike Burton on the NBC series "Ed," spent Wednesday night in a New York City jail after being arrested for allegedly smoking crack cocaine in a Brooklyn park, reports The New York Times. The actor, 30, who lives in Los Angeles, looked disheveled Thursday morning as he appeared in court to enter a plea of not guilty, says The Times. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to return to court Sept. 9 to face the misdemeanor charge, which carries a maximum one-year sentence. The actor's lawyer, Ken Glassman, released a statement Thursday saying the arrest was the result of a misunderstanding, according to the Associated Press. "Josh, who is not a New Yorker, was taking a walk in Brooklyn and got lost," Glassman said. The lawyer said Randall asked a homeless man for directions to the bus, and the homeless man asked him for money. "Josh gave him $20 -- at which point he was arrested. Josh has committed no crime. These allegations are a misunderstanding and are unsubstantiated." The attorney also told The Times that while in custody, the actor was teased by officers, who called him "Doc" and left him in handcuffs for six hours. "Fame is a two-edged sword," said Glassman. "You may get a table at (the restaurant) Le Cirque if they're booked, but you also may linger in jail for the same reason."