Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers on winning their 16th NBA title. However, the Times reports that police arrested at least 12 people for a variety of crimes, including public drunkenness, vandalism and inciting a riot. One person was arrested and charged with assault on a police officer.
Anyone who was arrested outside the Staples Center should contact a Los Angeles defense lawyer. It is unlikely that the state will be able to prove most of these charges. Despite a heavy police presence, fans naturally took to the street in celebration. Frequently in such cases, police become overwhelmed and a few bad apples ruin the party for everyone. When that happens, authorities are apt to arrest whoever they can get their hands on.
The Times reports that some in the crowd threw bottles, smashed marquees, jumped on vehicles, broke windows and set dumpster fires along Figueroa and Flower streets near the Staples Center. At least one person was injured in a fight and an L.A. Sheriff's department vehicle struck a bicyclist. One officer reportedly suffered a broken nose but no one was seriously injured.
While we don't condone those who used the celebration as an excuse to be violent or destructive, it seems equally absurd that the LAPD declared an unlawful assembly moments after the game ended -- at a location where tens of thousands of people had ... lawfully assembled.
Hundreds of officers in patrol cars, on foot and on horseback moved in to clear the streets and break up the crowds. Some fans were seen urging others to act appropriately and celebrate peacefully. By 11 p.m., the celebration began to ease -- indicating this was certainly not a night of carnage.
If you were arrested and charged with a crime following the Laker's historic win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at the Staples Center, contact Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Stepehen G. Rodriguez for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.
