Sam Amico
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Dave Chappelle’s attorney wants his attacker to face consequences. Like, serious consequences.
Chappelle’s lawyer, Gabriel Colwell, told Rolling Stone that both he and Chappelle himself would like to see attacker Isaiah Lee face felony charges for his attack on the comedian. Lee rushed the stage at the Hollywood Bowl earlier this month while Chappelle was performing his routine. He was initially charged with four misdemeanors, including assault with a deadly weapon.
Yes, that’s right. Assault with a deadly weapon can be charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony in the state of California. If charged as a misdemeanor, it carries the paltry penalty of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
So Colwell has asked Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón to file felony charges, given the fact Chapelle could have been seriously injured — or worse.
“We request that DA Gascón reconsider, correct this mistake and charge this as a felony,” Chappelle’s lawyer Gabriel Colwell told Rolling Stone. “This is what Mr. Chappelle wants. Mr. Chappelle wants this case charged as a felony.”
Dave Chappelle just got attacked on stage
— Hoodville (@Hoodville_) May 4, 2022
Colwell added a felony could serve as a precedent for future incidents.
“Entertainers in Los Angeles need to know that the justice system will protect them on stage,” he said.
“Ten thousand people saw Dave Chappelle assaulted on stage at the Hollywood Bowl, and the assailant had a deadly weapon on him. The fact that this isn’t charged as a felony case by the DA is insane.”
During the attack, Lee did indeed reach for a fake gun capable of producing a knife blade, so Colwell may have a point.
Meanwhile, the progressive Gascón has come under fire recently and faces a recall election for what is viewed as a “soft-on-crime” approach, while crime skyrockets in Los Angeles County, as relayed by Fox News.
This is wonderful. Good for Dave.
Absolutely!!
It’s good that things like this are finally hitting home for the Hollywood community. They can be total hypocrites right up until it’s them in the crosshairs. Not necessarily Chapelle, mind you, but the whole comedian/stage performer community that sees that this could now be them.
Gascón won’t charge the guy with a felony. He’s more likely to let him out. He’s all in favor of letting the inmates run the asylum. Hope he’s recalled soon
Gascon won’t hit repeat felons who commit murder with gun use allegations, so while I think this jackass who attacked Chappelle should get a felony, I’m not holding my breath
Dave Chappelle should state that he won’t perform in Los Angeles County again until after Gascon is no longer the District Attorney (voted out/removed). If the attacker doesn’t face “serious consequences” for his crime, then Gascon should.
It should be charged like anyone else randomly attacking you on the street with a weapon for no reason. Whatever that charge would be that’s what this should be. If it’s a felony, then charge him with felony assault. This isn’t complicated. It doesn’t matter who is involved, just apply the law equally based on the facts please. I don’t care if it was Dave Chapelle or some homeless guy on the street who gets attacked by this psycho. They should be charged the same. That’s America.