Mike Tyson will not face charges for punching plane passenger, DA says
Mike Tyson will not face charges stemming from his altercation with a passenger on a JetBlue flight last month, a California district attorney announced on Tuesday.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe reviewed police reports and videos of the incident that occurred on a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Florida on April 20. In a TMZ video that went viral, the former heavyweight champion is seen standing in front of a seat and punching a passenger near the window.
The passenger has not been identified. Both he and Tyson, 55, requested no charges be filed. Wagstaffe said in a statement, via NBC News:
"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.
"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 video shared by TMZ was presented in three parts: the passenger sitting behind Tyson and appearing to harass him, Tyson punching the passenger and the passenger making a mock pouting face to the person filming the entire thing.
The man had a few cuts on his head and reportedly was seen by medics afterward. He spoke with police, but a San Francisco Police Department spokesman told ESPN's Mike Coppinger the passenger provided "minimal details" and refused to cooperate.
Tyson's camp said the passenger was harassing him on the flight and had thrown a water bottle at him.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Tyson had an incident on a flight with an aggressive passenger who began harassing him and threw a water bottle at him while he was in his seat," a spokesperson for Tyson told ESPN.
Tyson last fought professionally in 2005 but took part in an exhibition match in November 2020. The case involving the JetBlue flight incident is now closed.
