UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn Arrested for Violating Restraining Order, Fifth Arrest This Year
Hilo police say 46-year-old former two-division champion entered property covered by a protection order; bail was set at $2,000
Jay Dee “BJ” Penn, the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion, was arrested Monday in Hilo and charged Tuesday with violating a court order for protection filed by his mother, marking his fifth arrest this year, Hawaii police said.
Hawaii Island police said officers responded at 4:03 p.m. on Sept. 15 to a report of a violation in the area of Puueo Street in Hilo. "Upon arrival, officers determined that Penn had entered a property in violation of the terms of a court order for protection in which he is the respondent," the department said. Penn, 46, was located in the area and arrested without incident. He was charged on Sept. 16 with violating the order for protection and released after posting $2,000 bail.
The recent arrest follows two encounters in May in which Penn was arrested and charged in incidents involving his mother, Lorraine Shin. Police and court records show Shin later sought a temporary restraining order against her son; the order remains in effect until next May, according to the filings. Authorities say the restraining order’s terms prohibited Penn from entering the protected party’s property, and the Sept. 15 incident was treated as a violation of that court order.
In May, police said Shin told officers Penn took her mail and shone a bright flashlight in her eyes when she asked that the mail be returned. She told investigators he shoved her against a vehicle when she attempted to move the light away, authorities said. Penn was booked on a charge listed as "abuse family or household member: offensive physical contact" and was later released on bond. Police say he was issued a warning citation ordering him to stay away from the alleged victim, and that he returned to the home hours later, leading to a second arrest that month.
Penn publicly shared video footage from the May confrontations on social media, posting clips he said showed officers confronting him in his bedroom and footage he described as the incident with an elderly woman. In captions accompanying the posts, Penn asserted the woman was not his mother and alleged she was an imposter. Court filings and statements from Shin say she believes her son suffers from a delusional misidentification disorder known as Capgras syndrome, in which a person falsely believes a close relative has been replaced by an identical imposter. Those assertions were made by Shin in seeking protection and in statements to investigators.
Police have not publicly commented on any medical or mental-health determinations related to Penn. The charges announced this week relate specifically to the alleged violation of the protection order; prosecutors will decide whether to pursue additional charges based on their review of the incidents.
Penn, a Hawaii native, competed in the UFC from 2001 through 2019. He won world titles in two weight classes during his career and has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. The retired fighter remains a high-profile figure in mixed martial arts, and his legal troubles this year have drawn attention from media and the MMA community.
Court records show the protection order was filed by Shin after the May incidents and remains active. The Hilo Police Department said investigators handled the most recent incident after receiving a report and locating Penn in the area, and that he was arrested without incident. Bail was set at $2,000; according to the police statement, Penn posted bond and was released.
No additional charges were announced in the Sept. 15 incident, and the police statement did not identify any injuries to the alleged victim arising from the most recent alleged violation. Prosecutors or police may provide further updates as the case proceeds through the local court system.