Maybe David Stern and the NBA needs to institute a three strikes and your out rule for its players. NFL players brought this subject up several weeks ago and it would be a smart idea for all leagues to have this rule. Unfortunately, the Kings embattled forward Ron Artest would serve as the poster boy for the rule in the NBA.By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer
March 6, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest slapped a woman's face and grabbed her repeatedly, causing visible injuries, according to a sheriff's report made public Tuesday.
Artest was arrested Monday after a woman inside his home in a Sacramento suburb called 911 and said she had been assaulted. In a portion of the 911 tape released by authorities, the woman described injuries to her hand and leg.
"Victim sustained visible trauma after being repeatedly grabbed by Artest and pushed to the floor," said the Placer County Sheriff's Department report. "Artest then slapped victim's face (and) by use of force prevented victim from leaving."
The report also said Artest took a phone from the woman the first time she tried to call 911.
Artest was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and using force or violence to prevent the woman from reporting a crime. He was released from custody after posting a $50,000 bond and is awaiting a March 22 arraignment.
In the 911 tape, released Tuesday by the sheriff's department, the woman calls a police dispatcher upset that Artest is leaving in a vehicle. After learning it's registered in both their names, the dispatcher says Artest has the legal right to take the vehicle.
The woman starts to hang up, then mentions "domestic violence."
"Ma'am, is there some fighting going on right now?" the dispatcher asks.
"Yeah, and he's upset," the woman replies.
"Did he hit you?" he asks.
"Oh, yeah, my hand is bleeding; I've got a scratch on my leg," she replies.
"Do you need medical, ma'am?"
''No. No. My finger's just bleeding. It's not stopping, but it's just bleeding. I'm not worried about my finger," the woman says.
The department released the initial 82 seconds of the call, which continued for about 15 minutes until deputies arrived at the home, said sheriff's department spokeswoman Dena Erwin.
Erwin said she could not elaborate on the nature of the woman's injuries. She also would not disclose the woman's relationship to Artest.
Authorities said a 3-year-old girl was inside the house at the time of the argument. She can be heard in the background of the 911 tape, talking to "daddy" and "mommy."
Placer County Deputy District Attorney Dan Quick said his office had yet to receive the report, but that prosecutors would review the 911 tape, photographs taken at the scene and other evidence.
"In cases like this, we don't do anything special as far as our treatment of them," Quick said.
"We want to see what evidence was gathered before we make a charging decision."
Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said he planned to release a statement later Tuesday.
"We're trying to get the facts straight," he said.
Kings coach Eric Musselman told reporters Tuesday that he spoke to Artest by telephone Monday night but would not describe their conversation. The Kings indefinitely removed Artest, the central figure in the 2004 brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans, from the team while they seek more information about the arrest. Artest, who joined the Kings in January 2006, continues to receive his salary.
"We're just kind of wait and see," team spokesman Troy Hanson said. "I think there's a lot of things we still need to look at."
Sheriff's deputies were called to Artest's five-acre estate in a gated community 25 miles northeast of Sacramento about 9:30 a.m. Monday. They said they found the player sitting quietly outside, the windshield of his Hummer shattered by a pot thrown by the woman.
Monday's incident was Artest's latest run-in with local authorities. Last month, county animal-control officers seized his Great Dane, Socks, because it wasn't being fed.
Updated on Tuesday, Mar 6, 2007 7:13 pm EST
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