The man accused of attacking comedian Dave Chappelle on stage at the Hollywood Bowl this week has been charged with four counts of misdemeanour and will no longer face felony charges.
Chappelle, 48, was performing at the Los Angeles venue on Tuesday evening, May 3 as part of the inaugural ‘Netflix Is A Joke’ festival comedy when a man rushed on to the stage and charged at him.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) later arrested Lee, who was carrying a replica gun containing a knife blade, on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
Chappelle was unharmed, but the suspect was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has now hit Isaiah Lee, 23, with charges including battery and possession of a weapon with intent to assault.
Prosecutors concluded that the evidence did not constitute felony conduct but rather that of misdemeanor which will “have consequences”.
“My office takes protecting public safety extremely seriously and we are going to vigorously prosecute this case,” City attorney Mike Feuer said.
In the US, crimes classified as felonies are considered more serious than misdemeanours and carry a more severe penalty.
Other charges made against Lee include gaining unauthorised access to the stage area during a performance, and commission of an act that delays an event or interferes with a performer.
Representatives of Chappelle released a statement afterwards saying he “refuses to allow” the alleged incident “to overshadow the magic of this historic moment”.
