
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 18, 1990                   TAG: 9005180791
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: associated press
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES                                LENGTH: Short

LAWYER: BRANDO'S SON FIRED IN SELF-DEFENSE

Marlon Brando's eldest son, Christian, may have killed his half-sister's boyfriend in self-defense, says lawyer William Kunstler, who will defend the younger Brando.

"I understand there may have been a struggle over the gun, and some beating going on of Marlon's daughter," the radical attorney said Thursday. Kunstler, a friend of Brando's from civil rights struggles, said he received a call from him at 2 a.m. Thursday just after the shooting.

Christian Brando, 32, was scheduled to be arraigned today in the slaying of Dag Drollet, 26, of Tahiti, who had been staying at the Brando estate. Kunstler was reportedly flying to Los Angeles from New York for the arraignment.

Police said the shooting was sparked by an argument over Drollet's treatment of 20-year-old Tarita Cheyenne Brando, Christian's pregnant half-sister.

The actor's son was arrested Wednesday night and booked for investigation of murder. He was held without bail pending arraignment.

by CNB