Fan at center of Pistons-Pacers brawl calls Artest a `thug' (Has several priors)

AP ^ | 11-23-04

[Dan from Michigan]

Fan at center of Pistons-Pacers brawl calls Artest a `thug'

11/23/2004, 2:43 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit fan who authorities say threw a cup that hit Indiana forward Ron Artest and started a brawl during a Pistons-Pacers game described the player Tuesday as a "thug."

John Green, a 39-year-old contractor from the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield Township, made the comments during an appearance with his lawyer, Shawn Smith, on ABC's "Good Morning America."

"Ron Artest went through the stadium punching people the whole night," Green said. "He was being a thug."

Artest said Tuesday he wishes he hadn't gotten into a fight with fans but feels his season-ending suspension was too harsh.

"I don't think it was fair — that many games," Artest said in an interview with NBC's "Today" show. "I respect (NBA Commissioner) David Stern's decisions, but I don't think I should have been out for the whole season."

On Monday, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said Green was the fan who threw a cup that hit Artest. Gorcyca also said footage showed that once Artest was in the stands, Green grabbed him from behind and sucker-punched him.

Charges have not yet been brought in the Friday brawl as police in Auburn Hills continue to investigate.

Green, through his lawyer, declined to speak with The Associated Press on Tuesday. But he told reporters Monday that it may have looked like he threw the cup, but he didn't. On Tuesday, he described the scene of the brawl to "Good Morning America."

"From where I was, the cup was hurled in the general vicinity of where I was. Ron Artest got hit. He looked up. We were shocked the cup hit him," Green said. "He looked up at us and started charging up there. It was pretty shocking. I didn't know what to think. I haven't been in too many fights in my life."

Green described himself as a respected businessman with a wife and two children.

"I don't go around breaking the law," he said. "If they have found that I broke the law, I'll pay the price."

Gorcyca said Green was on probation for his third offense of driving under the influence. Green's record also includes a 1988 assault with intent to do great bodily harm, an attempt to escape from custody that same year, a conviction for carrying a concealed weapon in 1986, and a conviction for check fraud, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections' online database.

Green, who said he was not drinking Friday night, said he grabbed Artest from behind, trying to get him to stop attacking another fan.

"He (Artest) kicked me from behind a couple of times, in my shin. And then when he did that, which got me mad, then I in turn ... got a little bit angry, at the time," he said.

Pistons chief executive Tom Wilson said Green will be banned from The Palace.

[ApesForEvolution]

If he were drinking at the game, that would very easy to prove. Between cameras and eyewitnesses?

[uncbob]

Well if anybody is to blame it is the owners who are so greedy they have to sell Beer at sporting events

You wouldn't take your kids into a bar to watch a game so why should there be beer served at athletic events where kids can attend

[Wolfstar]

Yahoo News caption: Framegrab from WDIV-TV in Detroit, showing John Green of West Bloomfield Township, Mich., on Monday, Nov. 22, 2004. Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said that Green was the fan who threw a cup that hit Indiana forward Ron Artest and started the brawl at The Palace on Friday. The prosecutor himself identified Green, who he said was a former next-door neighbor when both lived in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, by repeatedly watching footage of the brawl. Green told reporters that it may have looked like he threw the cup, but he didn't. (AP Photo/WDIV-TV, Chester Belecki)

Yahoo News caption: This image from video released by the Auburn Hills police department shows a man outlined in a red identified by police as the person they believe threw a chair during a fight with Indiana Pacers players at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., Friday, Nov. 19, 2004. Auburn Hills Police are asking anyone who may recognize the man (describing him as an African American male in his late 20s to mid 30s wearing a black leather jacket with a black Kango style hat with a white logo on the front) to contact them. Pacers Ron Artest, who was suspended for the rest of the season, is escorted from the court in front. (AP Photo/Auburn Hills Police)

The suspended players:

[AntiGuv]

Well, he's not denying he's the man they say he is..

[MadelineZapeezda]

So the guy Artest went after first, the one in black, wasn't this guy or was he?

[Billthedrill]

The guy I feel sorry for is the guy that Artest actually ended up attacking. The look on his face is hard to describe - it's as if a large, angry athlete is about to beat him up for no real reason. Oh...yeah...maybe it was something like that...

[Andyman]

It isn't easy being Green.

[RWRbestbyfar]

I've seen the tape and Green, albiet a dumb idiot, might have a good argument that the cup did not come from him. It looks like a guy next to him in a white shirt threw the cup.

[AntiGuv]

No. The guy in black didn't do anything wrong. The guy that then grabbed Artest from behind was the one that threw the beer cup.

[1L]

>>My money is on Ron.<<

With the way he punches? You've got to be kidding.

Green was the only one of the two who landed anything on the other

[billhilly]

"Artest is one rare millionaire, mentally deficient AND Psycho."

You forgot to post the sarcasm tag, did you not?

[Larry Lucido]

Usually people who didn't do something don't go on national TV and explain why they did it. Of course, stranger things have happened.

[billhilly]

"Artest is one rare millionaire, mentally deficient AND Psycho."

You forgot to post the sarcasm tag, did you not?

[Future Useless Eater]

Instead of banning Artest, they should sign him up

to play basketball for the next 10 to 20 years...

...for Southern Michigan Prison.

[grellis]

Usually people who didn't do something don't go on national TV and explain why they did it.

LOL, my thinking exactly. Reminds me of this statement:

"I did NOT have sex with that woman!"

[Intolerant in NJ]

"He (Artest) kicked me from behind a couple of times, in my shin. And then when he did that, which got me mad, then I in turn ... got a little bit angry, at the time," he said...a cute trick - kicking somebody in the shin from behind - the analysis I saw on one sports channel today showed pretty clearly that Green threw the first beer, but Artest grabbed the guy next to him - Green then grabbed Artest from behind, supposedly to stop him from his attack, but he could be seen clearly punching Artest several times on the side of the head during the melee - claimed everything happened so fast he didn't remember details - Green should face criminal charges and some time in jail......

[buckeyesrule]

I can't believe those Michigan people. You know Ohio people would never act like that. LOL!

[MadelineZapeezda]

The guy in black should get big buck$$$$$$$$!