Chris Rock Power: Comedian Has One Year To Press Charges Against Will Smith
Chris Rock had not filed any charges against Will Smith when he notoriously slapped him across the face in front of a big crowd and millions more people watching on television.
A criminal lawyer in Los Angeles, however, suggested that the comedian may still alter his mind and have the "Men in Black" actor arrested for hitting him at the Oscars.
When the 53-year-old Best Actor winner stepped on stage and slapped the 57-year-old in the face at the 2022 Oscars over a joke he made about Jada Pinkett Smith, the Los Angeles Police Department announced that Chris would not seek charges against Will, which astonished many people.
However, just because the comic did not decided to seek charges against Will does not exclude him from doing so in the future.
According to Lara Yeretsian, an attorney who talked to Hollywood Life, Chris has one year to alter his mind since he is the only one who can cause Will's arrest.
The lawyer, who is not representing anybody in the dispute, went on to clarify that in California, the statute of limitations for a misdemeanor is one year.
Furthermore, she stated that a citizen's arrest could only be made by the victim of a minor offense.
Following the incident on stage, the Los Angeles Police Department sent a statement to Hollywood Life stating that they were aware of the event at the Academy Awards, but the victim refused to file a police complaint.
However, if the victim decides to submit one later, the police will apparently be ready to finish an investigation report.
Many people were perplexed when Chris Rock refused to pursue charges, as well as why the police couldn't arrest Will Smith right then and there, or even after the event.
However, according to Attorney Yerestsian, an arrest is not conceivable since, although the whole world observed the notorious slap, none of the LAPD officers were able to see it directly.
"Although the video provides proof of the crime, it does not give the LAPD jurisdiction to make an arrest."
"The only other option to accomplish an arrest for a minor offense not observed by an officer is via a citizen's arrest, which Chris Rock is not willing to undertake," she stated.
But it's not like Will Smith walked away without being arrested or suffering any other consequences.
Because of what transpired, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to ban him for 10 years on April 8.
