Posted on 11/21/2004 11:15:53 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
Oakland prosecutor: Players, fans, personnel could be charged
11/22/2004, 12:29 a.m. ET
The Associated Press
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Fans, players and other team personnel could face criminal charges for their roles in a brawl that broke out at the end of a Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said.
Gorcyca said he repeatedly viewed a videotape of the melee at Friday night's game. He said authorities have identified and questioned a fan who they say threw a cup that hit Indiana's Ron Artest and started the brawl.
The fan "admits he is the one in the video," Gorcyca told WXYZ-TV on Sunday. "He will not go so far as to admit anything further than that. We're going to ask that he be questioned further."
"He, I think, precipitated the whole event that transpired in the spectator section," Gorcyca said. "I think he's going to be facing some criminal charges."
Asked if players would be charged, the prosecutor said: "I don't want to pinpoint players, but I would say yes. Based upon what I've seen, I believe there will be some charges levied against certain players."
On Sunday, the NBA suspended Artest for the rest of the season. The league suspended Indiana's Stephen Jackson for 30 games and teammate Jermaine O'Neal for 25. Detroit's Ben Wallace — whose shove of Artest after a foul led to the five-minute fracas — drew a six-game ban, while Pacers guard Anthony Johnson got five games.
Four players — Indiana's Reggie Miller, and Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman — were suspended one game apiece for leaving the bench during the initial incident.
I expect the guy in the Wallace jersey and ball cap to get nailed, as well as the credentials guy.
i still can't believe they are describing what wallace did as just a shove
I expect the guy in the Wallace jersey and ball cap to get nailed, as well as the credentials guy.
Agree. The fans that instigated it should be charged as well as the players involved.
it sure is getting a lot of coverage.
how about the guy who threw a metal chair? That's a serious weapon
This story begs the question... Was the fan who threw the cup one of the fans attacked by Indiana's players? Or did the players just go after anyone who stood in their way? The videotape makes it look like the players just punched and shoved anybody who was in their path.
If all athletes were to react the same way the Indiana Pacer primates did when a fan misbehaves, we'd have to stock all the arenas with body bags before each event. If a fan is unruly, you call over the refs and call in security. If you're a player or coach, you threaten to take your entire team off the court until order is restored. And you start asking officials for a forfeit by the home team. Going into the stands like a pack of wild animals because someone threw a cup is the kind of behavior that just gives Bill Cosby more speaking material the next time he wants to lecture the black community on how it is harming itself.
Everybody knows that if you get hit with a folding chair, the worst thing that happens is that it takes you several minutes to lie on the floor and recover. Then you get up with a crazed look in your eyes and body slam all three of the wrestlers that are in the opposite corner of the ring, while accidently knocking out the referee so he can't see you pin your opponent.
I think the players should be held accountable, and I certainly think it's time for some fan accountability too. I've seen some incredible things happen in sports crowds. People think they can do anything they want after buying a ticket.
Throw the whole city, the fans, the teams, officials, the NBA and the arena in jail.
Then fine everyone a bazillion dollars each.
The problem isn't this incident, the problem is in pro sports altogether. We have, for too long, tolerated athletes who proclaim that they "aren't role models", then go out of their way to prove it. Why are we surprised?
Pro athletes, at one time, were also the very model of good sportsmanship. But, no more. Today, we have a class of over-paid, spoiled, rich millionaires whom we adore and whose only function in life is to play a game!!
Our children look up to these people and mimic their behaviors because we haven't taught them the difference between good sportsmanship and pro sports. No one should be surprised at the antics of these people.
If you want true athletes and role models, look to some of the retired players like Roger Staubach, Rolando Blackman, Emmett Johnson. These men had class on the field and were real role models for our kids off the field. Compare them with Dennis Rodman. Need I say more? Then, take a closer look at the players involved in this fracas.
Today, it's all about winning and, when they don't win, we get the spectacle of their self-indulgent tantrums. It isn't life or death, it's a game for crying out loud!!
They may not have set out in life to become role models, but talent and fortune have cast them on those roles. If these folks can't handle it, perhaps they should find another way to earn a living.
We don't need our children to have more violence in their lives. TV and video games provide more than enough.
Basketball finaly gets interesting, and everyone complains about it.
On another note, Another "Busch" won the big race this weekend...
I am from central Indiana, and this has had non-stop coverage here.
Too funny!!!
I'm a little E fan.
You forgot to mention those unruly "fans" that destroy property and riot after a win.
You must be talking about the jerk who couldn't be bothered to take his hat off during the national anthem.
Agreed. While you can say the fan "provoked" the player (and he should be not only ejected, but charged, and have all season ticket privileges revoked forever), there is a physical difference between a 6'7" 240-pound player and a 5'8" fan. Is the fan stupid and criminal? Of course. But the NBA must not allow a misdemeanor to turn into a murder felony, as the Kermit Washington thing almost did years ago.
I agree, and in my younger, stupider days I said a number of stupid things too. My solution is to begin by banning alcohol at all indoor sporting events. Period.
Hey, if all the NBA players (not just Indiana players) did what those guys did the other night you'd have to set up your basic basketball court like a hockey rink!
No the players got the wrong guy in the fight, definitely one of the reasons they are going to get hit with charges. You can't argue self defense when you defend yourself by pummelling the wrong guy. Plus self defense doesn't hold up well when you were hit with a plastic cup, its kind of hard to say you thought you were in mortal danger, from what drowning in beer????? And if Artest was so upset about being disrespected and attacked, Wallaces two handed shove to his throat was much worse than the cup, why didn't he go after Ben Wallace to "defend" himself. Probably becuase he new Wallace would pummel him into the ground. Unfortunately everyone forgets but a lot of this began with the Eastern Conference Finals last year when Artest had a flagrent foul on Detroits Richard Hamilton by hitting him in the face (for which Hamilton was already wearing a mask because of a broken nose).
A lot of this could be solved if they treated on court fights like they do the ones in the stands.Purp walk both players out imediately and file assault charges.Watch how fast fighting stops.(has the added advantage of nullification of union appeals)
Not at first. Artest attacked the wrong guy. The guy who threw the cup attacked Artest from behind after he charged the crowd.
Should the NBA Prosecute Players who assault Fans? Poll http://www.kemah.net
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