Oscars audience ‘could have had Will Smith arrested’ over Chris Rock slap
metro.co.ukWill Smith could have been arrested over his shocking Oscars slap, last month.The King Richard actor left Hollywood reeling when he stormed the stage at the ceremony, in LA, to confront Chris Rock over a joke he made at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith.Questions were immediately raised on how the 53-year-old was allowed to remain in the venue, and able to collect his Oscar on stage shortly after the incident – with organizer Will Packer revealing that comedian Chris stopped the LAPD from arresting the star.According to reports, he was still at risk of getting in trouble with the law over the incident, as many in the star-studded audience could have asked for a ‘citizen’s arrest’ to be performed.It has been reported that, under California law, ‘a private person may arrest another for a public offense committed or attempted in his presence.’However, TMZ states that no one in the audience asked to do that.The publication reports that people approached the one LAPD team member stationed at the Dolby Theatre on the night but, as the officer did not see the slap in person, they couldn’t make an arrest unless Chris gave them the okay, which he did not.LAPD sources reportedly said the officer was backstage when the slap – which is misdemeanor battery – occurred, and the only way he could make an arrest on his own is if it was committed in his presence.The officer approached Chris backstage to check if the Grown Ups actor wanted to press charges, but he declined.Oscars producer Will previously discussed the incident in an interview with Good Morning America, and explained that the police were ‘prepared’ to arrest him.‘They were saying, you know, this is battery was the word they use in that moment,’ he said, according.
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