According to the district attorney’s office, the guy who assaulted comedian Dave Chappelle during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl will not be prosecuted with any charges.
Isaiah Lee, 23, was detained for assault with a dangerous weapon after storming the stage at the conclusion of Chappelle’s show at the outdoor amphitheater as part of the “Netflix Is a Joke” event, according to police.
According to a picture published by police, he was carrying an imitation pistol with a huge blade that folded out of it like a pocket knife.
“While illegal activity occurred, prosecutors judged that the evidence as provided did not establish felony conduct,” stated the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office in a statement.
The matter has been forwarded to the city attorney’s office in Los Angeles, which prosecutes misdemeanors in the city. The office did not respond to an email requesting comment right away.
Lee was still being detained in jail Thursday, according to jail records, in lieu of $30,000 bond, Mendez said. It was unclear if he had hired a lawyer, and the motivation for the assault was also unknown.
Actor Jamie Foxx and rapper Busta Rhymes, who were waiting in the wings of the theater, ran on to the platform to assist Chappelle.
Lee was tracked down and overpowered by security personnel before being carried away in an ambulance for treatment of an unidentified injury.
In a statement, Chapelle’s spokeswoman Carla Sims stated, “Chappelle’s performances at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking, and he refuses to let last night’s event overshadow the grandeur of this historic occasion.”
In the aftermath of this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, where the Oscar-winning actor slapped Chris Rock on live television in response to a joke about his wife, Chappelle was attacked as he was wrapping up a routine in which he talked about how comedians have to worry more about their personal security.
In the audience for Chappelle’s performance, Rock took the microphone and joked, “Was that Will Smith?”