Charges filed against Pacers December 8, 2004 DETROIT (AP) -- Five Indiana Pacers players were charged Wednesday for fighting with fans in the stands and on the court at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons last month. Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison and Anthony Johnson were all charged with one count of assault and battery, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of about three months in jail and a fine of up to $500. Jermaine O'Neal was charged with two counts of assault and battery. Police requested arrest warrants for the five players. Five fans also were charged, according to WXYZ-TV. Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said he would announce the charges at a news conference later Wednesday. With less than a minute left in the Pacers-Pistons game Nov. 19, Artest fouled Detroit's Ben Wallace on a drive to the basket. Wallace delivered a hard, two-handed shove to Artest. That sparked an initial skirmish that wasn't all that bad, and Artest retreated to the scorer's table while calm was restored by the officials. But then a spectator tossed a cup at Artest, and he stormed into the stands, throwing punches as he climbed over seats. Jackson joined Artest and threw punches at fans, who punched back. O'Neal hit a fan who ran onto the court. At one point, a chair was tossed into the fray. Two days later, NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Artest for the rest of the season. Jackson was banned for 30 games, O'Neal for 25, and other players received shorter suspensions. The players' union is appealing the suspensions of Artest, Jackson and O'Neal, and a grievance hearing is scheduled for Thursday in New York. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...acers-pistons-brawl-charges&prov=ap&type=lgns
good I felt anyone that hits (punches) someone else should go to jail .. If I hit someone at work I would go to jail and lose my job. for some reason on the courts (in NBA) you knock someone you get suspended w/ out any jail time I dont understand? J
where did you grow up? buckingham palace? not a big boxing fan i guess. there is a time and place for fighting - no, i don't think a basketball game is a time or place, but lets face it - if you can't stick up for yourself in situations, then you're just a b**** who's gonna get used in life.
There will be NO jail time for any misdemeanor charge....community service and deferred adjudication for everyone. DD
3814 do you think it should be allowed? Boxing is a sport and to be honest im a big fan of full contact sports.. thing about basketball that irks me is someone takes a shot on you then its broken up without you getting a chance to get in some licks. if that happened to me I'd be pretty pissed. If I dont get a chance to fight back I would want to press charges.. "hit me I need the money" J
I guess all the other crime in Detroit's under control... ...can't believe they'd press charges for such a wuss fight if it happened on the street. But I suppose the optics were just too ugly to ignore. What a waste of resources....but good fodder for the sports shows.
Ron Artest got only one count? That means they're not charging him for either the intial encounter (Mike Ryan) or the second (guy he socked twice in the face on the court). Interesting. Evan
hockey's a great sport...but no...fighting shouldn't be "allowed" in basketball -- but you said earlier something about jail time for whenever a punch happens. in that case i would have been in jail dozens of time in my life. i agree with consequences, but jail time is unnecessary for a punch unless it keeps on going even after one guy has clearly been "served."
the voice of reason Money is gonna talk and everything else is BS I'm willing to be Artest plays again this year Rocket River
Oh yes, the woe of it all! I can't go charging like a rhino into the stands over a paper cup softly landing on my chest! I just won't survive life with such a passive attitude towards such harsh attacks set upon me!!! I'm just suuuuuuch aaaa b****!
STEP 1: go back and read the line i quoted. STEP 2: read what i said about basketball not being a time or place STEP 3: pat yourself on the back - now you've understood what i was talking about.
Am I the only one who thought the Oakland County prosecuter sounded much more sympathetic to the players rather than the fans?
Step 1: notice how you said basketball wasn't a time or place, as I did. Step 2: notice how you contradict that statement by stating if one does not "stick up" for themselves " in situations, (meaning the situation of the pacer/fan 'brawl')" "lets face it", and quote "then you're just a b**** who's going to get used in life". Step 3: notice how i replied to the contradiction in context to the guy you quoted, using hitting someone on the job as an example. Because, afterall, people say the likes of Artest and the other pacers choosing to get physical over a paper cup, was them simply "sticking up" for themselves. And making it seem everyone would do the same thing, tossing out "what if it were you" tripe and so on. The guy you quoted was comparing going up to someone and punching them on the job and how he'd be fired be thrown out of his job and serve some jail time for assault. Which is not a far off comparison, considering Artest was on the job going after someone over an empty paper cup. It's just as lame excuse as hitting a jerk in your work place over a verbal disagreement.