Dave Chappelle's alleged attacker pleads not guilty to charges
The man accused of attacking Dave Chappelle onstage has pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanour charges.
Isaiah Lee allegedly ran onto the stage and tackled Chappelle to the floor during the comedian's Netflix Is A Joke set at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles last week.
Lee appeared in court for the first time on Friday to enter a not guilty plea in relation to the charges of battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, unauthorised access to the stage area during a performance, and commission of an act that delays an event or interferes with a performer.
Los Angeles Police Department investigators have alleged Lee was carrying a "replica handgun with a knife blade inside" at the time of the incident.
Lee remains in jail on bail and has been ordered to stay 100 yards (91 metres) from Chappelle if released.
If convicted, Lee could face up to 18 months in county jail and/or up to $4,000 (£3,200) in fines.
In the days after the incident, Chappelle's representative insisted he didn't want the attack to "overshadow the magic" of the comedy event.
"The performances by Dave Chappelle at the Hollywood Bowl were epic and record-breaking and he refuses to allow last night's incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment," his representative said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70,000 fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival."
