Dave Chappelle's alleged attacker pleads not guilty as new details of incident emerge

Rolling Stone

With his arm in a sling, Isaiah Lee pleaded not guilty fo four misdemeanor charges on Friday, including battery. The arraignment coincided with the Los Angeles District Attorney Office releasing a document explaining why it didn't charge Lee with assault with a deadly weapon. “Slow-motion review of video footage of the incident revealed that the suspect did not have the weapon in his hand at the time he rushed and tackled victim Chappelle. A security guard, for instance, described that after the suspect ran backstage, the suspect reached for his waistband,” prosecutors wrote. “The security guard said he grabbed onto the suspect’s hand, causing the weapon to fall to the ground. The security guard believed that the weapon was a gun, so he tried to empty the chamber, but was unsuccessful because the weapon lacked a chamber or ammunition. The security guard discovered that the weapon was a folding knife in the retracted position." The L.A. County District Attorney's office also wrote of a rap song that Lee uploaded in 2020, titled "Dave Chappelle,": “None of the lyrics, tone or language of the song suggested any threats or hatred towards the victim, Dave Chappelle." ALSO: The Chappelle attack has become another flashpoint in the culture wars.