FOXSports.com - NBA - Five Pacers charged with assault and battery

Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca is finally filing charges against five Indiana Pacers, and five fans, for their part in the November 19 brawl at the Palace.

Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison, and Anthony Johnson are charged with one count of assault and battery, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of $500 and three months in jail.

Jermaine O'Neal is charged with two counts of assault and battery.

As for the fans, the chair thrower is expected to get a felony assault charge. I would imagine that the other fans, including the cup thrower, and Ben Wallace's brother, will get assault and battery charges.

Stephen Jackson insists he's innocent. "David was acting as the peacekeeper throughout that evening," he said. "He was trying to make sure everybody was safe." I guess he thinks punching people is peacemaking.

I think these charges are sufficient. Obviously the most serious one is the chair throwing that left an older man unconscious, and with a concussion. I do not agree that the NBA has taken care of the legalities of this by suspending the players. The two often go hand in hand, and trigger each other respectively.

Too stiff? Not enough? What do you think?

FOXSports.com - NBA - Five Pacers charged with assault and battery

-Dan Joseph