Photo: Tim Nwachukwu (Getty Images)
After being attacked onstage during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles last week, Dave Chappelle was not pleased to hear that the man who attacked him was only charged with one misdemeanor. He and his attorney, Gabriel Colwell, are asking Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón to reconsider his decision to charge his attacker, Isaiah Lee, with a felony.
“We urge DA Gascón to reconsider correcting this error and charging him as a felony,” Colwell told Rolling Stone. “Entertainers in Los Angeles need to know that the justice system will protect them on stage.”
On May 3, while Chappelle was performing a stand-up set at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Netflix Is a Joke comedy festival, Lee stormed the stage and grabbed the comedian. He was stopped by security forces as he ran off the stage and arrested. It was later discovered that although not in use, Lee was carrying a replica of a weapon capable of ejecting a knife blade.
Lee pleaded not guilty to “misdemeanor battery, misdemeanor possession of a deadly weapon with intent to attack, and two felonies related to rushing on stage and disrupting a performance.”
Per Variety, Gascón responded in a speech on Tuesday, saying: “We have city prosecutors who deal with misdemeanors, they have jurisdiction. Mr Chappelle’s case was reviewed by one of our deputies on our filing team and she made the right decision when she determined that the conduct in this particular case constituted an offence.”
Since Chappelle was not physically injured and Lee was believed to be unarmed since the blade was folded during the attack, the prosecutor concluded: “[Mr. Lee’s] Conduct under California law was not criminal conduct, and I repeat it again.” Prosecutors were also investigating whether Lee had prosecuted Chappelle, which he appears not to have been.
Chappelle’s attack is the latest high-profile example of venue security failing to protect performers and guests. Citing the tragedy of the Astroworld festival in Houston, the prosecutor noted that the district is “increasingly concerned that we will face a similar situation.” He continued, “As one of the entertainment capitals, we have to do better.”
What most people don’t understand is that venue security is primarily provided by private companies. The Hollywood Bowl hires an event security company and it is up to the company to provide the right number of people to ensure security. And like every company, every company has its own set of standards. As a result, procedures at the Hollywood Bowl may differ from those at SoFi Stadium. Aside from a law outlining specific rules for venue and event security, there’s not much the Attorney’s Office can do to change things at this time.