Chappelle attack: Suspect is now facing 4 misdemeanor charges after DA declines felony prosecution

Earlier on Thursday, the Los Angeles County District Lawyer’s workplace introduced 23-year-old Isaiah Lee will not face any felony expenses and referred the case to the L.A. Metropolis Lawyer, who solely handles misdemeanors.

Lee has been charged with battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, and two expenses associated to interfering with a performer.

“This alleged assault has received to have penalties,” stated L.A. Metropolis Lawyer Mike Feuer in a video message. “My workplace takes defending public security extraordinarily critically, and we will vigorously prosecute this case.”

Lee was arrested for assault with a lethal weapon shortly after tackling the comic Tuesday night time. He is being held on $30,000 bail. It is unclear what motivated Lee to run onto the stage.

County prosecutors decided that whereas prison conduct occurred “the proof as offered didn’t represent felony conduct.”

Police stated Lee was armed with a duplicate handgun-knife when he ran onto the stage and tackled Chappelle. Witness video reveals Chappelle falling again however he managed to shortly free himself as safety rushed out to seize the attacker.

In keeping with ABC Information sources, L.A. County prosecutors selected to not transfer ahead with felony expenses as a result of Lee wasn’t brandishing the knife.

He reportedly had it in some form of bag.

Unique footage from AIR7 HD captured the attacker on a gurney as he was being loaded into an ambulance to be taken to a hospital for unspecified accidents.

“The duplicate handgun, which contained a knife blade, was recovered and booked as proof,” police stated in an announcement.

A spokesperson for Chappelle issued an announcement Wednesday, calling the incident “unlucky and unsettling” however saying he refuses to let it overshadow the record-breaking efficiency on the Hollywood Bowl.

She famous that the comic continued along with his present and labored with Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock to assist calm the gang with humor. He’s cooperating with the police investigation into the incident.

Spokesperson Carla Sims’ assertion reads:

“Dave Chappelle celebrated 4 nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking gross sales for a comic on the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for probably the most headlined reveals by any comic on the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k followers of numerous backgrounds in the course of the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Competition, and he refuses to permit final night time’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic second.”

“As unlucky and unsettling because the incident was, Chappelle went on with the present. Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the gang with humor earlier than Chappelle launched the final and featured musical friends for the night, hip-hop artists yasiin bey and Talib Kweli, a.ok.a. Black Star, who carried out music from their new album – the primary in practically 24 years – which was launched on Luminary. Different particular comedic friends final night time included Earthquake, Leslie Jones, Jeff Ross, Sebastian, Jon Stewart and Michelle Wolf.”

A spokesperson for Netflix additionally issued a short assertion: “We care deeply concerning the security of creators and we strongly defend the proper of stand-up comedians to carry out on stage with out worry of violence.”

The comic was not injured within the assault and later joked with the viewers about it.

Comic Chris Rock, who carried out earlier within the night time, got here on stage with Chappelle moments after the assault and joked: “Was that Will Smith?”

ABC Information contributed to this report.