Joseph Brooks, who won an Oscar for writing the hit "You Light Up My Life," was found dead in his Upper East Side apartment yesterday. He suffocated himself with a plastic bag and left a long, rambling note that stated he would be cleared of the sexual assault charges he was facing.

Brooks, who was 73, became something of a media figure lately, after his son, Nicholas, was accused of murdering his girlfriend at the Manhattan private club Soho House late last year. Brooks was also arrested in 2009 for sexually assaulting a number of aspiring actresses he allegedly found on Craigslist and offered to make famous in exchange for sex. Aside from his family and legal troubles, he was also suffering from deteriorating health.

[Image via AP]