DA declines to file charges against Mike Tyson, passenger on flight at SFO
Mike Tyson (left, getty images), Melvin Townsend III (right, Florida Dept. of Corrections)
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Mateo County District Attorney on Tuesday announced that prosecutors would not be filing charges against Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion who was caught on video punching a passenger on a flight out of San Francisco International Airport.
DA Steve Wagstaffe said his office reviewed the video and police reports from April 20, and determined that they would not charge Tyson with misdemeanor battery.
Wagstaffe said he also wouldn't file charges against the passenger, identified as Melvin Townsend, who did not want to press any charges.
"We now deem the case closed," Wagstaffe said.
TMZ first broke the story after cell phone video surfaced of Tyson punching Townsend.
Townsend has been convicted of fraud, grand theft, burglary and possession of controlled substances, according to Florida state records detailing his criminal history.
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Witnesses said that the passenger and Tyson took a selfie together and the two seemed to get along.
Townsend also allegedly threw a bottle of water at Tyson before their scuffle, though he denies having done so.
At some point, the passenger, who appeared intoxicated on the video, began annoying Tyson, who then was seen leaning over his first class seat on Jet Blue and pummeling the man's face.
Tyson had been in San Francisco for the 4/20 cannabis event at Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park.
The flight was headed from SFO to Florida.