Kanye West avoids felony in airport scuffle

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles officials on Friday declined to press felony charges against rap singer Kanye West stemming from his arrest after a scuffle with photographers at Los Angeles International Airport this month.

West, however, could face a lesser charge of a misdemeanor crime, said Frank Mateljan, spokesman for the L.A. City Attorney's Office.

The Grammy winner was arrested at the airport on September 11 after rushing at a photographer and grabbing his camera. In the ensuing struggle, West threw the camera to the ground.

West, 31, was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism and released on bail the same day.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, which handles felony cases, has referred the case to the City Attorney's Office, which handles misdemeanor prosecutions, Mateljan said.

"We're in the process of reviewing the case that was sent to us, I don't anticipate a decision until sometime next week," he said.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Mohammad Zargham)