Curly Howard
07-28-2003, 12:24 PM
NEW YORK -- Two men who brawled with Mike Tyson at a Brooklyn hotel menaced him first by telling him they were armed, lawyers alleged Thursday at the boxer's arraignment.
One told Tyson, "You've got fists, we've got guns," both prosecutors and defense attorneys said at Tyson's arraignment in Brooklyn criminal court.
But prosecutors also informed a judge they have a security videotape that shows the ex-heavyweight boxing champion responding to the taunts by hunting down the unarmed men and punching them out.
"His subsequent actions went well beyond what is permitted by law," said prosecutor John 0'Mare.
Tyson pleaded innocent to misdemeanor assault, harassment and disorderly conduct charges. If convicted, he faces up to a year in prison.
The boxer refused to speak to reporters as he left court. Some bystanders cheered before he ducked into a red Hummer.
Defense attorney Mel Sachs had told state Supreme Court Justice John Carter his client's actions were justified, given the threat of weapons.
"Mike Tyson was provoked," he said. "His conduct was justifiable. In fact, he showed restraint."
Prosecutors countered that the assault case was backed by the accounts of several witnesses, including hotel employees, and the videotape. The judge ordered the tape turned over to the defense, and set a pretrial hearing for Sept. 30.
Samuel Velez and Nestor Alvarez-Ramos face menacing charges for allegedly threatening Tyson at 5:30 a.m. June 21 outside a downtown Brooklyn hotel while the boxer was waiting for a ride to the airport.
A lawyer for both men, Earl Brown, refused to comment on the alleged gun threat. But he predicted the videotape would help clear his clients because it shows Tyson pursuing them into the lobby, where he "viciously attacked" them.
The tape captures Tyson knocking one of the men into a reception stand, punching the other, pausing to take off his coat, then resuming the attack, authorities said. At one point, he chases one of the men around the check-in desk and continues the assault, they added.
One told Tyson, "You've got fists, we've got guns," both prosecutors and defense attorneys said at Tyson's arraignment in Brooklyn criminal court.
But prosecutors also informed a judge they have a security videotape that shows the ex-heavyweight boxing champion responding to the taunts by hunting down the unarmed men and punching them out.
"His subsequent actions went well beyond what is permitted by law," said prosecutor John 0'Mare.
Tyson pleaded innocent to misdemeanor assault, harassment and disorderly conduct charges. If convicted, he faces up to a year in prison.
The boxer refused to speak to reporters as he left court. Some bystanders cheered before he ducked into a red Hummer.
Defense attorney Mel Sachs had told state Supreme Court Justice John Carter his client's actions were justified, given the threat of weapons.
"Mike Tyson was provoked," he said. "His conduct was justifiable. In fact, he showed restraint."
Prosecutors countered that the assault case was backed by the accounts of several witnesses, including hotel employees, and the videotape. The judge ordered the tape turned over to the defense, and set a pretrial hearing for Sept. 30.
Samuel Velez and Nestor Alvarez-Ramos face menacing charges for allegedly threatening Tyson at 5:30 a.m. June 21 outside a downtown Brooklyn hotel while the boxer was waiting for a ride to the airport.
A lawyer for both men, Earl Brown, refused to comment on the alleged gun threat. But he predicted the videotape would help clear his clients because it shows Tyson pursuing them into the lobby, where he "viciously attacked" them.
The tape captures Tyson knocking one of the men into a reception stand, punching the other, pausing to take off his coat, then resuming the attack, authorities said. At one point, he chases one of the men around the check-in desk and continues the assault, they added.