Mike Tyson got a break.
The retired boxer will not be criminally charged after a widely shared video showed him decking a passenger last month aboard a JetBlue flight from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale.
The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office in California said Tuesday (May 10) the case is now closed. The office decided against pursuing charges based on “the circumstances surrounding the confrontation,” as per The Associated Press.
“These include the conduct of the victim leading up to the incident, the interaction between Mr Tyson and the victim, as well as the requests of both the victim and Mr Tyson that no charges be filed in this case,” District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said in a statement.
The April 20 video shows Tyson leaning over the back of his seat repeatedly striking a man later identified as Melvin Townsend III in the head, who appears to be bleeding.
Townsend is a 36-year-old Florida man with a lengthy rap sheet dating back to 2008. According to Charlotte County court records, previous charges included possession, burglary, grand theft and fraud, with time behind bars.
The Punta Gorda resident’s lawyer, Matt Morgan of Morgan & Morgan, released a statement to TMZ Sports after the incident that said violence ensued because Tyson overreacted.
“At a certain point, Mr Tyson clearly became agitated by an overly excited fan and began to strike him in an excessive manner,” the statement said. “This situation could have been avoided simply by contacting the flight attendant.”
Iron Mike’s rep said that Townsend threw a water bottle at him, triggering the violence. Morgan denied this.
The Hangover star’s attorneys praised the district attorney’s decision and thanked law enforcement for “careful, diligent and professional work.”
Tyson has not commented publicly on the matter. One of his latest posts show him over the weekend backstage with Chris Rock at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The comedian was famously slapped on stage by Will Smith after making a joke about the star’s wife, Jada, at the Oscars.
Tyson praised Rock on Instagram: “The greats make the difficult look easy,” Tyson wrote of the former SNL star. “Chris is a student of comedy and that’s why he’s one of the greatest. He’s calm and focused before the show, no drinking, no distractions....This is what a champion mindset is all about, honoring and always trying to perfect the craft.” – Miami Herald/Tribune News Service
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
