A California district attorney on Tuesday declined to file charges against Mike Tyson after the former heavyweight boxing champion was recorded on video in a physical altercation with another passenger on a JetBlue flight.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe made the decision after reviewing police reports and videos of the April 20 incident. Both the passenger, who has not been identified, and Tyson requested that no charges be filed in the case.
“Yesterday afternoon the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office concluded its review of the case involving Mike Tyson at the San Francisco Airport on April 20, 2022 and the allegation that he committed a misdemeanor battery against another passenger on an airplane while waiting at the terminal prior to departure,” Wagstaffe said in a statement.
“Our decision is that we will not file any charges against Mr. Tyson based on the circumstances surrounding the confrontation. These include the conduct of the victim leading up to the incident, the interaction between Mr. Tyson and the victim, as well as the requests of both the victim and Mr. Tyson that no charges be filed in this case,” the district attorney said.
The case is now closed.
Cellphone video showed Tyson, 55, appearing to try to punch someone who’s pushing him away. Representatives for the retired boxer said the person was harassing Tyson. The video did not show what happened before the altercation.
David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld, and Martin Sabelli, attorneys for Tyson, responded to the decision to not file charges by thanking Wagstaffe, the San Mateo County sheriff and law enforcement agencies “for their careful, diligent, and professional work.”
Diana Dasrath contributed.
