Prosecutors charge 10 in Lakers celebration unrest after Finals victory

Officials with the Los Angeles City Attorney's office said Monday that they have charged 10 people in connection with the mayhem that ensued outside Staples Center after the Lakers' NBA Finals victory Thursday night.

At least 42 people were arrested Thursday on suspicion of crimes that included arson, assault on a peace officer, battery, public drunkenness, inciting a riot, disturbing the peace, throwing objects at a vehicle, resisting arrest and vandalism, as well as for outstanding warrants.

Of those, 10 people were charged Monday by the City Attorney's office. Among those were a man accused of setting fire to a Boston Celtics basketball jersey; another accused of throwing a rock at police officer's head, just missing the officer; and one who is alleged to have hit an officer with a bicycle after heaving it at him, said Senior Asst. City Attorney Chuck Goldenberg.

"These people took a very proud and happy moment for the people of the city of Los Angeles and attempted to turn it into a night of violence and mayhem," Goldenberg said. "Fortunately, the police were on the scene to prevent it from getting too far out of hand.

City prosecutors stressed that they would be taking "a very hard stand," seeking the maximum jail time of six months to a year or more in county jail "depending on the circumstances and the criminal record of any one defendant."

During the celebration, dozens in the crowd became unruly, hurling bottles and other objects at police, breaking windows of businesses, setting trash bins and vehicles on fire along Figueroa Street and dragging a driver out a bus.

The arrest totals were was double the number from 2009, when 20 people were booked for similar offenses, setting trash cans and trees on fire. Officers ordered the crowd to disperse, but groups of young men and women refused, stomping on car windshields, throwing rocks through windows and looting stores.

The City Attorney's office said it would continue to review reports of cases referred for possible filings.

"It's likely there will be additional filings," Goldenberg said. "We have 10 and more may be coming."

--Andrew Blankstein

Photo: LAFD

Comments

[CTNM]

Good. Put all of those idiots in jail.

[What a world we live in]

As in the Middle Ages, "Off with Their Heads" at City Hall.

[Colin]

The Lakers organization needs to take a tougher stance on these riots. Small businesses in downtown can't afford to make repairs EVERY June due to vandalism. Maybe people would think twice about rioting if the Lakers cancelled the parade. Or better yet, limit alcohol sales (or cut them off completely) during the final game.

The Lakers should ban all of the fans arrested on Thursday from ever attending a Lakers game again.

[Steve Marks]

What we should have done is taken the 1.5 million from the parade and used it as reward money to find and convict the rioters from Thursday night. Then charge them with a much as possible make examples out of all of them.

This kind of nonsense has to stop. Rioting is so incredibly dangerous; we have to get heavy-handed about all of it.

[Bradford Talamon]

Throw the book at them. This is supposed to be a cause for celebration, not a riot. These people are just punks using any excuse to act like punks.

[kaaabob]

Along with jail, they should be made to do community service. Picking up trash from city sidewalks, freeway on-ramps and off-ramps. Make them clean the port-o-potties the real Lakers fans used during the parade.

[LisaLisa]

LA Times, Their pictures should be posted in your newspaper!

[pacogarnav]

Good riddance!!!

I must say though, for a city of our size the unfortunate happenings that occurred outside the Staples Center were minimal. I mean, you have a city of millions, and revelers in the thousands. In the end, it never looked like more than a few dozens thugs.

Worse has happened after big college football games... and of the Jordan's championships with the Bulls resulted in riots with 1000 arrests!!!

Good job by the LAPD!!!

[Uber]

For As many officers as they had there 10 arrests is a joke , Beck must have told them not to look or chase anyone. That way the ACLU and City council will not vote to Boycott the Lakers next year.

[Justice Scalia]

My opinion is obviously irrelevant...but why doesn't the Times publish the names of those charged? It was part of the press release, and a matter of public record.

They have been hiding the truth for years. That's why their circulation is next to ZERO.

Ha, on you, LA Times, a sorry excuse for a news agency.

[Carlos Jobim]

LAT should post their names and photos on this website

Likewise, city should put their names and photos on billboards

[Mike]

We going to get attorney for all of this people and defend them. They did nothing wrong and should be not be prosecuted.

[LetsGoMets]

It's a shame the death penalty doesn't apply in these cases.

[Sandy]

I only wish they would all be charged with big felonies. Los Angeles wants to celebrate. Is that all these idiots know is violence. Is that the only way to have fun and root on your winning team. Others around these people should have said something to them...They ruined it for everyone. Throw the book at them....

[Buster Brown]

Oy, what happened to J-101 and reporters ALWAYS qualifying accusations and information from spokepersons and sources with "police said" and "according to police?" Oh, and WHO estimated the crowd numbers at 60-70,000?

Who says there were "dozens" on Thursday night, as opposed to hundreds, or a dozen? The reporter? Fine - make that clear. Is that what the cops said? Fine, tell us! Whether in the video or the story, please!

Y'all get to the point making as a matter of routine declarative statements as if they are undisputed or definitively known facts, and it's only when an LAT lawyer is involved that everyone starts getting careful again with attributing the opinions and the facts. This is the sort of thing EDITORS used to make sure of in every story, whether two inches of filler, or a 25 inch column one.

Especially with all the stories the LAT has done establishing the LAPD's record, at best the LAPD has as much credibility as the next guy. So how about remembering to mention you're only telling us what they told you - you're not stating the irrefutable?

[impoundguy, Los Angeles, Ca.]

I wonder if they will check immigration status of those arrested...Oh, sorry I forgot that's a violation of their civil right....but I guess civil unrest is OK and acceptable if you're illegal? Never hurts to check.....