[News] LA Police Union slams District Attorney for failing to charge NBA star, Jaxson Hayes for allegedly attacking cops

Los Angeles Police Union has slammed District Attorney, George Gascon for failing to charge New Orleans Pelicans star, Jaxson Hayes with felony following his arrest in July.

 

In July, 21-year-old Hayes who is the 8th overall pick in the 2018 draft was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer who was investigating a domestic violence call. Officers had arrived Hayes’ home in Woodland Hills neighborhood on 28 July around 3am, after his girlfriend’s cousin called 911. The cousin said Hayes’ girlfriend was sending her text messages saying he had become loud and violent and she was scared.

 

Hayes who was not armed, became argumentative after officers said he couldn’t go back into his home. He ignored requests from his girlfriend and his cousin to stop talking and struggled with cops as they tried to subdue him.

 

While a video released at that time showed a Los Angeles police officer briefly pressing a knee to Hayes’ neck as he continously said “I can’t breathe” seconds before another officer used a Taser on him during a struggle, a body camera footage released by the LAPD showed that Hayes seemingly pushed an officer, injuring him in the process.

 

This led to an investigation to determine if excessive force was used on the NBA star. That investigation is still ongoing.

 

However the Police Union which represents over 9,000 cops in L.A. has now said that Hayes should have been charged for attacking a police officer who he seemingly pushed in a video, and failure to do that makes every police officer in the city a target.

 

The Los Angeles Police Protective League in a statement made available to TMZ said;

 

“George Gascon’s latest criminal’s first airball puts a target on the back of every police officer in Los Angeles.

“Gascon’s refusal to prosecute Jaxson Hayes for violently attacking and injuring an officer during his n-word laced tirade is nothing more than a declaration that it’s open season to attack cops and it’s shameful.”

 

Gason’s critics have repeatedly accused him of being soft on crime and failing to protect law enforcement officers.

 

Hayes is still not safe from being charged, as it is still possible the city attorney could levy a misdemeanor charge(s) against him.

 

The police union also called out the NBA for failing to discipline Hayes, or condemn his actions. The statement added;

 

“As for the NBA, their silence is deafening when it comes to one of their players assaulting an officer and thwarting a domestic violence investigation. Apparently, their policy on preventing domestic violence was created more for SportsCenter than it is to actually hold its players accountable. Real classy.”