New Orleans Pelicans player Jaxson Hayes is facing 12 misdemeanor charges in connection with his altercation with police in Los Angeles last year, TMZ reports.
The 21-year-old center was charged with the 12 counts on Monday. The misdemeanors include inflicting corporal injury, destroying property, use of force, and resisting a police officer. The incident in question took place on July 28, 2021, with police responding to calls over a domestic disturbance. One of the officers was hospitalized as a result of the altercation, while Hayes also sustained minor injuries.
Shortly after Hayes was arrested with minor injuries, authorities released the body cam footage of the arrest. “What’s going on between you and your girl?” asked one of the cops in the clip. "We were just having a little argument,” Hayes replied. “She was just throwing some stuff at me. Just cleaning it up.”
They informed him they needed to speak with his girlfriend to ensure her safety, but he protested and asked why he was not allowed in his own home. The situation turned physical shortly after, with Hayes even pushing an officer into a wall before they apprehended him on the ground.
At one point, Hayes could be seen with a knee pinned against his neck. “I can’t breathe,” he told the officers during the incident. The Los Angeles Police Department said that an investigation was launched into whether the police officers used excessive force, although the results have not been made public. If convicted of the 12 misdemeanors, Hayes could potentially face time behind bars.
