Mike Tyson won't face charges for punching airplane passenger
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson won't be charged after an altercation at San Francisco International Airport last month, according to the San Mateo County district attorney. A video of the April 20 incident published by TMZ showed Tyson repeatedly punching a man while on a plane leaving SFO.
According to Tyson’s representatives, the man, who was intoxicated, harassed Tyson and threw a water bottle at the former boxer, who was seated. Tyson was in San Francisco promoting a new social media app in conjunction with marijuana festivities in Golden Gate Park.
San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe said his office. He told NEWS10's sister station in San Francisco on Tuesday that his office won't file charges because of the circumstances around the confrontation, including "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."
Video of the altercation, taken on April 20, shows Tyson leaning over the back of his seat and repeatedly striking the other passenger. TMZ said the footage was recorded on a JetBlue plane bound for Florida. Before the physical altercation, the other passenger stood over Tyson’s seat waving his arms and talking animatedly while the former boxer sits quietly.
Attorneys for Tyson praised the district attorney's decision in a statement on Tuesday, thanking law enforcement for their “careful, diligent and professional work.”
Tyson, now retired from boxing, was in San Francisco on April 20 for the annual cannabis festival in Golden Gate Park, where he was promoting his cannabis brand Tyson 2.0, the Associated Press reported, citing SFGate. Tyson had also been promoting a social-media app called Relevnt, and had been scheduled to "explore the wide range of topics that interest him, from business to history, and weed to sports and social topics."
Tyson was previously the youngest heavyweight champion in history in 1987 at age 20. During his career, he had 50 wins, 44 of them by knockout. In the 1990s, Tyson served three years in prison after being convicted of rape. He has maintained his innocence in that case. Tyson was also briefly barred from boxing after infamously biting off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a fight in 1997.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.