The man who has been accused of attacking Dave Chappelle on stage at the Hollywood Bowl has pleaded not guilty, it has been claimed.
The comedian was performing in LA as part of the Netflix Is A Joke tour when Isaiah Lee appeared to storm on stage and tackle him.
Following this, the 23-year-old was detained by police and had a dislocated arm as he was escorted out of the venue on a hospital gurney.
He was thought to have been carrying a replica gun which could eject a knife blade at the time, and was later charged with four counts of misdemeanor and assault with a deadly weapon.
According to reports, Lee entered a not guilty plea as he appeared in a LA courtroom today.
TMZ states that he has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Chappelle, the Hollywood Bowl and any other venue the star is appearing at.
His bail was set at $30,000 (£24k), with a review hearing set for early next week.
If convicted, he could face up to 18 months behind bars.
In footage captured on the night of the incident, Chappelle was nearing the end of his stand-up routine when Lee rushed towards him on stage.
Jamie Foxx, who was watching the show from the sidelines, sprung into action and detained him while the comic recovered from the unexpected attack.
‘I don’t know if that was part of the show or… I grabbed the back of that n****s head, his hair was spongy, absorbent,’ Chappelle told the crowd.
‘I’ve been doing this 35 years, I just stomped a n***a backstage. Always wanted to do that.’
His representative later said that he is ‘refusing to allow’ what happened on stage to ‘overshadow the magic’ of his night.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced it will not pursue felony charges, instead referring the case to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
A spokesman for the Attorney’s Office added in a statement: ‘The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has referred the case to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for misdemeanor filing consideration.
‘After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors determined that while criminal conduct occurred, the evidence as presented did not constitute felony conduct.
‘The District Attorney’s Office does not prosecute misdemeanor crimes within the city of Los Angeles.’
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