Redmond O'Neal, the son of late Hollywood stars Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on August 13, displaying a new look that included tattoos on his neck. Photos suggest these markings may be the SS lightning bolt symbol, historically used by Nazi Germany's paramilitary organization and now adopted by white supremacist groups.
O'Neal, 41, has been in custody since his May 2018 arrest following an alleged week-long crime spree. He faces 13 felony charges, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and second-degree robbery. He has denied all charges.
His defense attorney, Dana Cole, acknowledged the presence of the tattoo but stated it is not new and was acquired years ago during a period of severe mental illness. Cole suggested that inmates sometimes adopt such symbols for self-preservation. "In my discussions with Redmond, I have never detected any racist supremacist attitudes," Cole told the Daily Mail. "I think he's a very changed man and he got those tattoos many years ago when he was suffering from serious mental illness."
O'Neal's legal proceedings have been significantly delayed due to concerns about his mental competency. He was previously found incompetent to stand trial and spent years in state psychiatric hospitals before being deemed fit to proceed. He is currently undergoing mental health treatment at Patton State Hospital, a forensic psychiatric facility.
During a preliminary hearing in June, a judge ruled there was sufficient probable cause to hold O'Neal on all 13 charges. His defense team has requested a delay in the arraignment, now scheduled for October, to file motions to dismiss some of the charges. These motions aim to reduce the charges based on the time O'Neal has already spent in custody.
Allegations in the case include an incident where O'Neal is accused of attacking actor Kenneth Fox with a glass bottle while allegedly uttering homophobic slurs. Police reports from the responding officers, however, did not mention any slurs. Cole contested Fox's testimony, suggesting inconsistencies with police body camera footage.
Another alleged victim, actor Seth Folkerson, testified that O'Neal attacked him with a knife in May 2018, causing multiple stab wounds that ruptured his lung and liver. Folkerson stated he was hospitalized for four and a half months and continues to experience health issues. Surveillance footage from a Venice Beach café also reportedly shows O'Neal threatening an employee with a knife and punching an espresso machine.
O'Neal's parents, Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, both passed away in recent years. Fawcett died in 2009 from cancer, and Ryan O'Neal died in December 2023 from heart failure.
In 2018, O'Neal reportedly blamed his father for his personal struggles, citing psychological trauma from his life experiences. His godmother, Mela Murphy, has stated that O'Neal has found faith during his incarceration and that his mental health has improved with treatment.