Prosecutors drop battery charge against Blake Griffin
Clark County prosecutors on Tuesday dropped a misdemeanor battery charge against Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin.
The NBA star’s lawyer, Richard Schonfeld, said he investigated a man’s complaint that Griffin attacked him during an argument over a photo taken while Clippers players partied at Tao nightclub at the Venetian in October.
Schonfeld talked with people who worked at the club and were in a position to witness “anything that would have transpired, and their statements contradicted the version of events as presented by the alleged victim.”
Celebrity news outlet TMZ quoted a man who said Griffin grabbed his neck, took his cellphone and slapped him after he took a photo at the Strip resort.
But prosecutor Giancarlo Pesci told Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Pro Tem Holly Stoberski on Tuesday that the allegations could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Schonfeld also said he showed prosecutors that Griffin, who did not appear in court, regularly performed community service, though the acts were not an exchange to dismiss the charge.
Out of the public eye, Griffin often visits and talks with sick children, according to his lawyer.
“We provided that to the state just to demonstrate his naturally good character,” Schonfeld said.
Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker.
