There are deep pockets. And there are NBA player pockets.
One Indianapolis attorney predicted there will be plenty of lawsuits after the brawl involving Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans Friday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
"Everybody who got hit by Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal or Stephen Jackson will sue the Pacers," said Jack Crawford, a loyal Pacers fan who attends about 20 games a year. "They'll sue the Auburn Hills stadium for inadequate security. They'll sue the Detroit Pistons for failure to provide the adequate security."
What interests Crawford, though, is whether criminal charges will be filed and against whom. It wouldn't surprise him and another local defense attorney if no Pacers players were charged.
Crawford practices criminal defense law. He served as Lake County prosecutor for about 10 years before he moved to Indianapolis.
"My guess is that there will be no criminal charges filed," he said. "The prosecutor will make a decision that there was too much blame to spread around."
The local Michigan prosecutor, Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca, was probably groaning, "Oh no," when he saw or heard about the brawl the first time, Crawford said.
Gorcyca said Saturday that "the whole fiasco could take weeks to decide," according to The Associated Press.
Crawford doesn't think it will take that long.
There are dozens of people to interview. But the brawling occurred in the high-priced season seats, whose temporary owners are known. And then there are all the cameras.
In addition to trying to determine who did what and when, the prosecutor will have to decide if the Pacers players' response could be seen as reasonable under the circumstances.
"I'm sure the Pacers are going to claim that they were under attack by as many as 100 or 200 people," Crawford said.
That's not as absurd as it sounds, not in the "hyper-charged atmosphere of professional sports," said fellow criminal defense lawyer Bob Hammerle.
"What happened is not Artest. What happened is that you have a large crowd fueled by alcohol and woeful security," he said.
Crawford predicted that if any criminal charges are filed, Artest, a player with a history of combativeness, might be charged with misdemeanor battery. And if so, some fans will likely be charged, too.
"I think a prosecutor would be reluctant to charge the Indiana Pacers and nobody else. That looks pretty partisan on his part," Crawford said.
No one was seriously injured, although some individual lawsuits might be settled for $50,000 or $100,000, Crawford said.
With Love,
CtrlAltDel aka Dave
C4/5 Complete - 28 Years Post
Texas, USA
Houston809 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I don't think this was fair. Ben Wallace & Ron Artest I understand. Jermaine
O'Neal & Stephen Jackson should be suspended & fined 4sho but indefinite
suspension. We're loosing 3 starters for a long time. I'm sure that Jermaine
& Jackson will at some point be back but this could cost us our whole
season. :( I'm sure everyones seen it on tv by now. Lets take a poll what do
you feel should happen to the players involved?
Statement from NBA Commissioner David Stern Concerning the Altercation
During the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers Game Last Night at The Palace
of Auburn Hills
NEW YORK, Nov. 20 -- NBA Commissioner David Stern issued the following
statement today:
�The events at last night�s game were shocking, repulsive and inexcusable --
a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA. This demonstrates why
our players must not enter the stands whatever the provocation or poisonous
behavior of people attending the games. Our investigation is ongoing and I
expect it to be completed by tomorrow evening.
The NBA has taken the following actions, effective immediately:
1. Indiana players Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O�Neal are
suspended indefinitely, the length to be determined upon completion of the
investigation.
2. Detroit player Ben Wallace is suspended indefinitely, the length to be
determined upon completion of the investigation.
