The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has reportedly filed several charges against Isaiah Lee, the man who attacked comedian Dave Chappelle onstage during his recent set at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl. Lee has been issued four misdemeanor charges — battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, unauthorized access to the stage area during a performance and commission of an act that delays an event or interferes with a performer. At the time of the attack, Lee was carrying a replica handgun that contained a knife blade inside. Chappelle, who was not injured in the ordeal, is reportedly fully cooperating with authorities.
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“This alleged attack has got to have consequences,” City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a video message on social media after the charges were announced.
This comes after the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that it was declining to pursue felony charges against Lee.
“After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors determined that while criminal conduct occurred, the evidence as presented did not constitute felony conduct,” a spokesperson for the department said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). “The District Attorney’s Office does not prosecute misdemeanor crimes within the city of Los Angeles.”
The altercation occurred around 10:40pm on Tuesday, after Lee rushed the stage at the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival as Chappelle was preparing to leave. Lee then tackled Chappelle to the floor, before being apprehended by the venue’s security. He is currently being held on $30,00 bail.
“The performances by Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment,” Carla Sims, Chappelle’s representative, said in a statement. “Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70,000 fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival.”
“We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence,” Netflix echoed in a statement.
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