Authorities in California say they will not charge former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson following an incident on a plane last month.
“We have reviewed the police reports of the San Francisco Police Department and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and have viewed the various videos collected by law enforcement from others on the airplane,” San Mateo County District Attorney Steven Wagstaffe said in a statement. “Our decision is that we will not file any charges against Mr. Tyson based on the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
“These include 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 in this case.”
During a Miami-bound Jet Blue flight from San Francisco International Airport on April 20, video captured by TMZ showed Melvin Townsend III of Punta Gorda, Fla., being punched by Tyson after badgering the Hall of Fame boxer.
Representatives for Tyson had said Townsend was acting in an aggressive manner, harassing Tyson before throwing a water bottle at him while he was seated. The video shows Tyson leaning over the back of his seat and hitting Townsend several times.
Tyson, 55, and Townsend, 36, were both detained at the airport and later released with Townsend being treated with non-life-threatening injuries.
Townsend has a long criminal history and was listed as having “habitual felony offender status” in 2019, according to court records with the Clerk of Circuit Court in Charlotte County, Florida.
Townsend also has been convicted of fraud by identity theft, trafficking in property known to be stolen, use or possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, court records show.
