Dave Chappelle’s attacker from the Hollywood Bowl has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a roommate at a transitional housing facility in December. Isaiah Lee pleaded not guilty to the felony charge and, in June, is scheduled to appear in court, according to the District Attorney’s office.
During this month’s Netflix Is a Joke festival, Lee is accused of rushing Chappelle with a replica gun containing a switchblade while he performed. As a result, he pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor counts, including battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, unauthorized access to the stage during a performance, and conduct that delayed an event or interfered with a performing artist.
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Initially charged with assault with a deadly weapon, Lee remains in jail pending $30,000 bail. Upon posting bail and being released, he must stay at least 100 yards away from Chappelle and the Hollywood Bowl.”This alleged attack has got to have consequences,” City Attorney Mike Feuer asserted in a video statement. He continued, “My office takes protecting public safety extremely seriously and we are going to vigorously prosecute this case.”
A representative for Dave Chappelle released a statement regarding the May 3 incident. “As unfortunate and unsettling as the incident was, Chappelle went on with the show,” Carla Sims, Chappelle’s representative, said to CNN. “Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock helped calm the crowd with humor before Chappelle introduced the last and featured musical guests for the evening.”
Earlier this month, LAPD spokesperson Officer Lizeth Lomeli told CNN that Chappelle “had finished his act and as he was exiting the stage, a male who was part of the audience jumped on the stage and tackle(d) this celebrity to the ground.” Lomeli said Lee, 23, was arrested and taken to a hospital for medical treatment. The victim “was not injured as a result of the crime,” she said.
“We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence,” a Netflix spokesperson told CNN in a statement.
Two nights after the attack, Dave Chappelle addressed the incident at a secret comedy show in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Chappelle described getting venue security to allow him entry into the room where Lee was being held. “I needed to talk to him,” he explained. He asked Lee what prompted his attack, and Lee, whom Chappelle described as appearing mentally ill, replied that his grandmother grew up in Brooklyn and had been forced out of her neighborhood by gentrification. As Chappelle recalled, the attack was meant to draw attention to her plight. No official motive for the attack has been established.
