Daniel Gibson Turns Himself In To Face Assault Charge
NBA player Daniel Gibson turned himself in to police to face an assault charge on Monday. Gibson, an unrestricted free agent, has been accused of breaking another man’s jaw with a punch.
The brawl happened at a nightclub on July 8 in New Orleans, according to police spokeswoman Remi Braden. Gibson will face a second-degree battery charge in the fight.
While Gibson has played seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he is now an unrestricted free agent after his contract was not renewed. USA Today notes that the NBA player was promptly released on an $8,000 bond.
Gibson released a statement to TMZ about the altercation, explaining that the fight happened at the Essence Music Festival, which wife Keyshia Cole sang at. The pair were at a club when the player was verbally harassed. He added:
“It’s unfortunate that some see opportunity in taking advantage of people who work hard for what they have achieved… Once all the facts of the incident come out, I expect to be fully vindicated.”
While Daniel Gibson is currently a free agent, is is reported that the Cavaliers intend to keep him. He has played all seven seasons and 397 games with the team since he was first signed in 2007. However, the 2013 season was Gibson’s worst. He averaged 5.4 points in 46 games and shot a career-worst 34.4 percent on threes.
Sports Illustrated notes that Daniel Gibson added of the incident, “The guy got real aggressive toward my wife and myself and I did what I felt was necessary to handle the situation… he was very disrespectful toward my wife.”
Spokeswoman Braden explained that the alleged victim is from St. Rose, about 25 miles away from New Orleans. However, she would not give any additional information about him.
Gibson added that he turned himself in because, “I felt like I had nothing to hide.” Given his side of the events, it seems to be the case.
Do you think Daniel Gibson was right to turn himself in to face charges of assault?
[Image by Keith Allison via Wikimedia Commons]
