Thursday, October 2, 1997
Johnson denies assault charges
FIGHT:Student contends he was attacked by star basketball player
Sunday
By Frances Lee and Tim Yun
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Another chapter was added to the continuing saga surrounding the
UCLA men’s basketball team Tuesday.
Jevon Hatcher, a fourth-year English student, filed a police
report two days ago against suspended basketball player Kris
Johnson. Hatcher alleges that the athlete attacked him outside a
local eatery early Sunday morning, and later made death threats
against him.
Johnson denies all charges made against him.
According to Sgt. Jim Kuehn of the university police department
(UCPD), officers were patrolling Gayley Avenue at about 2 a.m.
Sunday when they came across a group of 20 to 30 people in front of
the restaurant. Thinking there might be a possible fight in
progress, the officers called for backup.
When they stopped to investigate, however, the fight had broken
up and the crowd dispersed. Using witness accounts, the two
officers detained Johnson for questioning, but could not find the
other party, Kuehn said. Johnson was released at the scene. No
charges were filed against him at that time, police said.
"The officers were not able to determine what happened," Kuehn
said. "There was no victim (present) and (the officers) did not
observe any crime."
Since the other individual had already left the scene, Kuehn
continued, "it was a misdemeanor with no victim and no arrest,"
which was why Johnson was released.
Hatcher, the alleged victim, suffered a black eye and cuts on
his forehead. He later filed a police report Tuesday morning.
Now that both parties have been identified, Kuehn said, the
investigation into the circumstances of the fight will begin.
Police would not comment on the charges filed by Hatcher because it
is being investigated.
According to Hatcher, he and his friends were waiting for their
order at Subbies Roll-In between 1:30 and 2 a.m., when Johnson
started heckling Hatcher. Words were exchanged and Hatcher said
Johnson spit at him, starting the fight.
However, Johnson tells a different story.
According to Johnson, he was talking to a friend about Hatcher –
who had played basketball with teammate Jelani McCoy in high school
– when Hatcher turned to the two. Hatcher confronted him, Johnson
said, not the other way around.
Hatcher admitted to have been drinking that night, but maintains
that Johnson "instigated the whole incident. I did nothing to
antagonize him and he spit at me."
Johnson flatly denied this, saying that it was Hatcher who
started the fight, swinging at him first.
"I never spit on him," Johnson said. "That is a lie. I would
never spit on anyone … that’s just something I would not stoop
down and do … (But) if someone swings at me, I’m going to have to
defend myself."
Tempers flared and blows were exchanged. The two rolled on the
ground for several minutes as a crowd of onlookers started to
gather, witnesses said.
It was at that point that the UCPD squad car spotted the crowd
and assumed there was a fight in progress.
According to Johnson, the officers gave him the impression that
the matter had been resolved. "The police at the scene communicated
to me that the guy (Hatcher) was asking whether we could just shake
hands … and let bygones be bygones." But Sgt. Kuehn said the
officers never spoke to Hatcher. After the police left, both
parties walked away from the scene.
As he was walking home, Hatcher said he and his friends
approached Johnson and his friends to find out what prompted the
fight.
But Johnson said Hatcher came towards him, hurling insults.
"I thought this was done with, and here, he came back," Johnson
said.
Both of them had to be restrained by their friends to prevent
another fight, the men said. It was then that Hatcher alleges that
Johnson threatened his and his friends’ lives.
"Pointing to me, (Johnson) said, ‘I’m going to kill you.’
Pointing to my friend, he said, ‘I’m going to kill you, too,’"
Hatcher said.
According to Hatcher, Johnson reached into the passenger side of
a friend’s car "and acted like he was going to pull out a gun."
But Johnson refutes Hatcher’s accusations, and denies making any
threats. Johnson said he wasn’t reaching into the car for a gun, as
hatcher alleged. Instead, Johnson maintained that he was getting
inside the car to leave, not reaching for a gun.
"I was just trying to get home," he said. "It’s unbelievable
that (Hatcher is) stooping to this level instead of letting the
fight stay where it should be and tarnish my name while I’m already
at a down point."
With reports from Stan Johnson, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.