By Aaron Miller-
Police have kept the investigation into the assault by Mike Tyson on a plane live, despite the fact the victim has provided minimal co-operation and refused to press charges against the former world champion.
San Francisco police confirmed to The Eye Of Media.Com that the video has been shared with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, but that they would not releasing any further information on the incident as it is an active investigation
Mike Tyson was captured on film delivering less than his maximum blows on a provocative passenger, which were enough to inflict bruises on the man later reported to have been intoxicated while on board a plane at San Francisco International Airport. Tyson forfeited his plane ticket on that occasion and left the flight. knowing fully well that cops would arrive on the scene any moment from then.
Cops revealed that the victim has opted against pressing charges, knowing fully well that his conduct led to the attack against him. His refusal to press charges does not necessarily stop the police from pressing charges themselves.
The illegal act of assault itself is considered a crime or wrongdoing against society or the public. The police on behalf of the U.S government has the authority to seek justice on behalf of society and victims. Police will consider to what extent it is in the public’s interest to do so, the factors in this case potentially being the reluctance of the victim to press charges, the likelihood of the publicity stemming from a prosecution working against the victim who had provoked the attack whilst being drunk on a plane which he probably should have been prevented from boarding in the first instance, and the level of force exercised by Mike Tyson himself.
In the video, which was first shared by TMZ, the former professional boxer appeared to be leaning over his seat to strike the head of an unidentified man while on a Jet Blue plane bound for Florida on Wednesday, 20 April.
In a statement released after the video emerged, representatives confirmed an altercation had taken place, claiming the passenger had been ‘harassing’ Tyson on the plane.
“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,” they said in an email to The Associated Press.
Tyson drew blood as he repeatedly struck the man, and police confirmed they responded to a ‘physical altercation’ on a plane at the domestic terminal of the airport at around 10.00pm local time.
In a statement cited by AP, police said officers detained ‘two subjects that were believed to be involved in the incident’.
“One subject was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries. That subject provided minimal details of the incident and refused to cooperate further with the police investigation,” the statement continued.
Both subjects were released pending further investigation.
Another passenger on the plane, Sarah Burchfield told SFGATE she saw the man who allegedly ‘harassed’ Tyson before he boarded the plane.
She recalled him appearing to be loud and quarrelsome, saying: “When I boarded the flight, I thought, ‘Oh no, that drunk guy is on our flight.” Burchfield then recognised she was joined on the flight by a celebrity, describing herself as thinking “Oh my god, Mike Tyson is on this flight!”
“He said hi and I kept walking,” she said. “The belligerent guy was sitting right behind him and I saw they were interacting.”
The passenger later heard a commotion taking place in the first class cabin and claimed she knew it had ‘to be from Mike Tyson… because it’s Mike Tyson’.
“I don’t recall it being acknowledged by the flight attendants. It happened, we all looked and gawked, then moved on,” she said.
Another video filmed after the altercation showed Tyson gathering his belongings and exiting the aircraft.
Mike Tyson was a boxing sensation for most of the 80’s and the 90’s, after becoming the youngest heavyweight champion at the age of 20. He was every casual and avid boxing fan’s hero, most considering him invincible until his shock defeat in the hands of Buster Douglas in 1989.
After a rape conviction in 1991 (which many of his fans believe was money driven)following an allegation by Desiree Washington after she followed him back to a hotel room, Tyson briefly recaptured the heavyweight title in 1996 after a three and a half year prison sentence.
However, in 1997, during a bout against Evander Holyfield, Tyson bit off a piece of the heavyweight champ’s ear; as a result, his boxing license was temporarily revoked.
Tyson also had run-ins with the law and spent several months in jail for assaulting motorists after a traffic accident. Additionally, he battled drug addiction and faced financial problems after squandering the multi-million dollar fortune he had amassed.
He was eventually defeated by Lennox Lewis in Memphis in 2002 in a long awaited battle of the ages. Tyson’s professional career ended in 2005, when he quit during the middle of a bout against Kevin McBride.
His latest physical outburst is a clear sign the former baddest man n the planet still lacks a degree of self control when pushed, but his victim may have declined pressing charges to avoid the notoriety that would surely accompany his pathetic behaviour in boarding a plane intoxicated, then proceeding to taunt in a man with the punching power of Mike Tyson.
Lying low publicly has been. the unnamed man’s option, so he can live another day to be high in private.
Both he and Mike Tyson remain at the mercy of cops, who will decide whether to put hand cuffs on the wrist of Mike Tyson and see him prosecuted.