Posted on 12/08/2004 12:24:13 PM PST by kellynla
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) -- Five Indiana Pacers players and five fans were charged Wednesday for fighting in the stands and on the court at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons last month.
Players Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison and Anthony Johnson were all charged with one count of assault and battery, a misdemeanor that carries up to three months in jail and a fine of up to $500. Jermaine O'Neal, a three-time NBA All-Star, was charged with two counts of assault and battery.
All the fans were charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, including Pistons star Ben Wallace's brother, David. Bryant Jackson also was charged with felony assault for allegedly throwing a chair into the fray, Oakland County prosecutor David Gorcyca said. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
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>>Five Indiana Pacers players and five fans were charged Wednesday for fighting
Five for fighting.
That would be a fun jury to be on.
Fights like that occur at virtually every NHL hockey game. Why aren't the players there charged? Heck, even if they 'draw blood',,,,it's a only FIVE MINUTE PENALTY!!!
Fights like that DON'T occur at every hockey game. Players went into the stands. That is a rare occurence in hockey but in the instances where it has occured IIRC charges were usually filed.
Fights between opposing players in ANY sport rarely result in charges being filed unless there's an egregious attack by one player on another (cf Bertuzzi, Todd and McSorley, Marty)
The difference being, players are not allowed in the stands and fans are not allowed on the court/field/rink whatever...
The "fan"(moron) who started this melee by throwing a cup of liquid on the player is banned for life from the arena...and good riddance!
This was buz kashi, Afghanistan's national sport, a roughshod ancestor of polo with as many as a hundred horses on a team, a beheaded goat or calf for a ball-and almost no holds barred . Recently knives and chains have been outlawed, but sudden death on the playing field is still not uncommon.
Why no Pistons getting cited? I think that the one guy who committed the flagrant foul should be fined for bad hair.
Gawd,
I miss hockey!!!!!
The one thing I do know is if they "throw the book" at the guy who threw the chair(meaning he gets 4 years), then I think all the Pacers charged with assault should get 3 months in jail too.
What I hope doesn't happen is a double standard.. we see celeberties getting off all the time for things that any normal person would get severely punished for. However, now you have players and fans charge with the same crime in the same brawl... if they get different punishements then it's on.
I don't see anyone who was charged with a misdemeanor going to jail. I do feel they should all get probation.
We do know that none of the players had a previous record so I don't see any of them serving time.
But anger management wouldn't hurt any of them. LOL
Now the clown who was charged with a felony for throwing the chair should definitely get at least thirty days.
Just my op...
Well I agree with you.. I just heard the "clown" who threw the chair could get up to 4 years.
While it may have been more stupid.. if that's possible then the other fools from the court.. I don't believe he should get 4 years if all the others get probation.
well ya know I believe the chair actually hit a police officer too...
and if this idiot who threw the chair has a "record" he could be in for some jail time...
everyone was verrrrrry lucky that there were no serious injuries...someone could have hit their head on the floor or a railing and been killed!
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