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Reward offered by Pistons for chair throwing fan.
Wolfy00002
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They had the video of the guy working the chair loose from the stands while he looked around, the chair flying through the stands, and him running off.
Punches at the Palace
Find chair-tosser, get cash
A $2,000 reward is offered; two suits filed against Pacers in Oakland County
By Mike Martindale / The Detroit News
WDIV TV
This is the man Auburn Hills police believe threw the chair at Friday's Pacers-Pistons game.
WDIV TV
Ackerman, Paulson
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AUBURN HILLS -- A $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to a man who police say tossed a chair into a crowd during Friday's brawl at The Palace, striking several people including a police officer.
Police released a videotape Tuesday of a man they believe is responsible for throwing the chair. He is in his 20s to early 30s and wore a black leather jacket and a black beret. The video also shows him throwing a glass of liquid into the crowd before the chair incident.
"We're continuing to conduct interviews but need someone who can identify this person to come forward," said Auburn Hills Police Lt. James Manning, who added that other videos show the man detaching a chair from the floor.
"We're not aware of any serious injuries," Manning said, "but someone could have been seriously hurt."
Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said most of the physical altercations fell into the category of assault and battery (a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail).
But the chair-throwing could result in a felony charge, punishable by up to four years in prison, because it could have caused serious injury.
Anyone with information about the man who threw the chair is asked to call (888) 887-6146.
In another development, two lawsuits were filed in Oakland Circuit Court on Tuesday for two men who claim they suffered concussions and other trauma during the melee at The Palace.
The lawsuits, filed on behalf of John F. Ackerman and William Paulson, seek damages from the Indiana Pacers basketball team and, individually, from players Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal. Ackerman's complaint also names The Palace as a defendant.
"We're carefully vetting the clients," said Geoffrey Fieger, whose law firm is representing the two plaintiffs and three others yet to be named. "We're not going to file a lawsuit if there is any videotape showing one of my clients throwing a punch."
Fieger speculated that Gorcyca would file criminal charges against Artest, O'Neal and Jackson and at least the fan who instigated the brawl. Gorcya is not commenting until the investigation is completed.
Ackerman, 67, of St. Clair, alleges assault and battery, negligence and "wanton and willful" misconduct against the three players. Ackerman said he was "intentionally, brutally and viciously assaulted and beaten" just before the end of the game, including being punched by O'Neal and being struck by a thrown chair, causing a concussion as he fell to the floor.
"I tried getting back to see what was remaining by the bench and that's all I remember," Ackerman said this week.
Ackerman's lawsuit said the Pacers not only failed to adequately train and supervise their players but also were negligent in "encouraging and or tolerating its basketball team members to engage in unlawful physical acts" upon the public, fans, media and opposing team, and by failing to discipline or restrain their employees.
The lawsuit also said The Palace had a duty to provide a proper and safe basketball facility including "the undertaking of the duty to protect its patrons from violence."
In the other lawsuit, Paulson, 26, a Grand Blanc real estate agent, alleges he was viciously assaulted without provocation, first by Artest and then by Jackson, causing a concussion. Watching a videotape this week at his attorney's office, Paulson described how he was prevented from fleeing the immediate area by the players.
The lawsuits, both assigned to Judge Denise Langford Morris, each seek a jury trial and are in excess of $25,000 in damages.
Also Tuesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said that in 1988 he arrested West Bloomfield builder John Green, the man suspected of triggering the melee by throwing a cup of ice on Artest.
Bouchard, a Bloomfield Township police officer at the time, said he charged Green with attempted bribery after Green tried to get him to fix a ticket.
"He offered any home remodeling I needed done and, believe it or not, some Piston tickets. ... I was wired up by the department with a tape recorder and we arrested and convicted him for attempted bribery," Bouchard said.
They had the video of the guy working the chair loose from the stands while he looked around, the chair flying through the stands, and him running off.
Punches at the Palace
Find chair-tosser, get cash
A $2,000 reward is offered; two suits filed against Pacers in Oakland County
By Mike Martindale / The Detroit News
WDIV TV
This is the man Auburn Hills police believe threw the chair at Friday's Pacers-Pistons game.
WDIV TV
Ackerman, Paulson
Comment on this story
Send this story to a friend
Get Home Delivery
AUBURN HILLS -- A $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to a man who police say tossed a chair into a crowd during Friday's brawl at The Palace, striking several people including a police officer.
Police released a videotape Tuesday of a man they believe is responsible for throwing the chair. He is in his 20s to early 30s and wore a black leather jacket and a black beret. The video also shows him throwing a glass of liquid into the crowd before the chair incident.
"We're continuing to conduct interviews but need someone who can identify this person to come forward," said Auburn Hills Police Lt. James Manning, who added that other videos show the man detaching a chair from the floor.
"We're not aware of any serious injuries," Manning said, "but someone could have been seriously hurt."
Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca said most of the physical altercations fell into the category of assault and battery (a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail).
But the chair-throwing could result in a felony charge, punishable by up to four years in prison, because it could have caused serious injury.
Anyone with information about the man who threw the chair is asked to call (888) 887-6146.
In another development, two lawsuits were filed in Oakland Circuit Court on Tuesday for two men who claim they suffered concussions and other trauma during the melee at The Palace.
The lawsuits, filed on behalf of John F. Ackerman and William Paulson, seek damages from the Indiana Pacers basketball team and, individually, from players Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal. Ackerman's complaint also names The Palace as a defendant.
"We're carefully vetting the clients," said Geoffrey Fieger, whose law firm is representing the two plaintiffs and three others yet to be named. "We're not going to file a lawsuit if there is any videotape showing one of my clients throwing a punch."
Fieger speculated that Gorcyca would file criminal charges against Artest, O'Neal and Jackson and at least the fan who instigated the brawl. Gorcya is not commenting until the investigation is completed.
Ackerman, 67, of St. Clair, alleges assault and battery, negligence and "wanton and willful" misconduct against the three players. Ackerman said he was "intentionally, brutally and viciously assaulted and beaten" just before the end of the game, including being punched by O'Neal and being struck by a thrown chair, causing a concussion as he fell to the floor.
"I tried getting back to see what was remaining by the bench and that's all I remember," Ackerman said this week.
Ackerman's lawsuit said the Pacers not only failed to adequately train and supervise their players but also were negligent in "encouraging and or tolerating its basketball team members to engage in unlawful physical acts" upon the public, fans, media and opposing team, and by failing to discipline or restrain their employees.
The lawsuit also said The Palace had a duty to provide a proper and safe basketball facility including "the undertaking of the duty to protect its patrons from violence."
In the other lawsuit, Paulson, 26, a Grand Blanc real estate agent, alleges he was viciously assaulted without provocation, first by Artest and then by Jackson, causing a concussion. Watching a videotape this week at his attorney's office, Paulson described how he was prevented from fleeing the immediate area by the players.
The lawsuits, both assigned to Judge Denise Langford Morris, each seek a jury trial and are in excess of $25,000 in damages.
Also Tuesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said that in 1988 he arrested West Bloomfield builder John Green, the man suspected of triggering the melee by throwing a cup of ice on Artest.
Bouchard, a Bloomfield Township police officer at the time, said he charged Green with attempted bribery after Green tried to get him to fix a ticket.
"He offered any home remodeling I needed done and, believe it or not, some Piston tickets. ... I was wired up by the department with a tape recorder and we arrested and convicted him for attempted bribery," Bouchard said.
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no doubt~!
lol@the fan who threw the cup trying to bribe a cop.