CBS 2 Exclusive: 'Real Housewives Of NJ' Star Joe Giudice Loses Cool With Cameraman

PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Joe Giudice got into it a bit with a cameraman ahead of a court appearance on Wednesday.

Giudice arrived at the courthouse without an entourage and went through security alone, CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported.

The reality TV star seemed calm walking to the elevators, then seemingly without warning his temper flared.

In exclusive CBS 2 video, Giudice can be seen pushing the photog by the lens of his camera and uttering an expletive.

The force of the shove snapped the cameraman's head back, knocked his glasses and later the cameraman's eye socket appeared bruised, Carlin reported.

You might think with his prominent role on a reality TV show Giudice would be unfazed by cameras, but this time it was not on his terms.

Following Wednesday's incident, Giudice, who was convicted of bankruptcy fraud earlier this month in federal court, apparently had second thoughts when faced with the decision to go to trial in an unrelated state case.

Questioned by attorney Miles Feinstein in front of state Superior Court Judge Adam Jacobs on Wednesday, Giudice indicated he would reject the plea offer and proceed to trial. But when Jacobs addressed Giudice directly and reiterated that he wouldn't be able to change his mind and accept the plea offer Wednesday, Giudice declined to give his approval and court was recessed until the afternoon.

Giudice's false identification charge was brought after he allegedly used his brother's identity to obtain a driver's license while his own license was suspended for driving while intoxicated in 2010.

He was charged with unlawful use of an ID, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence upon conviction, and impersonation, which carries an 18-month maximum sentence.

In the end, Giudice did take the plea deal, which will allow him to plead guilty to the lesser charge and serve 18 months, concurrent with his 41-month federal sentence. He doesn't have to begin serving the combined sentence until after his wife, Teresa Giudice, finishes her 15-month sentence in the federal case, under a federal judge's ruling last month that took into account the couple's four young children.

The Giudices pleaded guilty in the federal case in March, admitting they hid assets from bankruptcy creditors and submitted phony loan applications to get some $5 million in mortgages and construction loans. Joe Giudice also pleaded guilty to failing to pay taxes totaling more than $200,000.

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