AI2: Kimberley Locke's CD

[CrimsonTide4]

Wanted: 'Idol' contestants
By Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

American Idol is sounding more and more like America's Most Wanted. The Fox show Monday dumped finalist Corey Clark because he didn't report his arrest last October after a dispute at his family's Kansas home.

Last week, Corey Clark was among the Idol finalists. Now, he's been kicked off the show because of an arrest during a family dispute.


Clark, 22, faces three misdemeanor charges, including battery. He is accused of assaulting his 15-year-old sister, according to a report Monday on The Smoking Gun Web site.


It marks the second time in a week that The Smoking Gun site has dug up criminal charges relating to a finalist. Clark is the fourth singer of Idol's final 32 whose background has been revealed to be less than spotless. Two other singers were dismissed during the semifinal rounds. Those with background difficulties include:

Frenchie Davis, 23, who appeared at age 19 on an adult Web site that was designed to appeal to men interested in underage girls. Producers dropped Davis from the show during the semifinals, even though she had told them of her involvement.

Trenyce (real name: Lashundra Cobbins), 23, who was charged with theft in Tennessee in 1999, according to The Smoking Gun. She took part in a pretrial diversion program that wiped out the charge. Idol producers say that she told them about the matter and that she will remain on the show.

Jaered Andrews, 24, who was charged with assault in a November bar fight in Pennsylvania that resulted in a man's death. He was dropped from the semifinals.

No decision has been made as to how Clark's departure, which reduces the finalist field to eight, will affect the show. Before his departure, the show was on pace to eliminate one performer per week until its finale.

Clark is scheduled to appear in court this month on the charges, according to Smoking Gun. He also has been sued in the past by merchants claiming he bounced checks, the site says.

According to a statement released Monday by Fox, Clark didn't report his arrest, which is required by the show. The arrest could have affected the initial decision to allow him to appear on the show.

In addition, a background check missed the arrest because the police report misspelled Clark's first name, the statement says.

"We regret the error, but the only thing we can do is learn from the incident, continue to improve the background-check process and move on," the statement says.