No criminal charge for a man who dealt with Dave Chapel on stage

Andrew Dalton, Associated Press Published Thursday, May 5, 2022, 3:53 PM EDT Last Updated on Thursday, May 5, 2022, 5:49 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The man who dealt with comedian Dave Chapel during a Hollywood Bowl performance will not be charged with any crimes, the district attorney’s office said Thursday.

Isaiah Lee, 23, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, police said after rushing to the stage at the end of Chappelle’s set on the last of four nights at the open-air amphitheater as part of the Netflix Is a Joke festival.

He was carrying a spear with a large-bladed pistol that folded from it like a pocket knife, according to a photo released by police.

“After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors found that although there was criminal conduct, the evidence presented did not constitute criminal conduct,” a statement from the Los Angeles District Attorney said.

The case was referred to the Los Angeles Prosecutor’s Office, which is prosecuting crimes in the city. An email requesting a comment from the office was not returned immediately.

Prison documents show Lee was still detained Thursday on bail of $ 30,000, Mendes said. It is not immediately clear whether he hired a lawyer, and the motive for the attack is unclear.

People standing on the wings of the stage, including actor Jamie Foxx and rapper Busta Rhimes, rushed to the stage to try to help Chappelle.

The guards chased and overpowered Lee, who was taken away in an ambulance to treat an unspecified injury.

“Chappelle’s performances 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,” Chapelle publicist Carla Sims said in a statement.

Chappelle was attacked while completing a routine about how comedians need to worry more about their personal safety after this year’s Oscars, where the Oscar-winning actor hit Chris Rock on live TV in response joking about his wife.

Rock was also on the wings of the Chappelle show, he grabbed the microphone and jokingly asked, “Was that Will Smith?”