Will Toronto Raptors Exec Face Charges for Pushing Cop?

While much of basketball-watching world celebrated the Toronto Raptors win over the Golden State Warriors last week, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office has been investigating an officer-involved incident with a high-ranking Raptors executive, Masai Ujiri.

According to the sheriff's statement, after the epic win, Ujiri, in a rush to the court, attempted to push past a county sheriff working courtside security without showing proper credentials. The sheriff pushed Ujiri back, and then Ujiri is alleged to have pushed the officer back hard, striking the sheriff's face in the process.

Charges Sought

While reports seem to indicate that Ujiri had his credentials on display, and people are questioning whether the sheriff racially profiled Ujiri, the county sheriff's office seems to be pushing for the district attorney to pick up and prosecute the case.

Hopefully clear video of the incident will be released, as the video currently making the rounds doesn't really show what happened. Likely, the district attorney's decision to prosecute will depend on whether there is clear video of what happened, as the conflicting accounts could make securing a conviction rather difficult. Notably, charges have yet to be officially filed again Ujiri. 

Penalties for Battery on an Officer

Generally, depending on the severity and circumstances, if a person pushes or hits a cop, they could be facing misdemeanor charges or worse. If the officer is injured, then the likelihood of felony charges increases.

Typically, a person can't be jailed for more than a year on misdemeanor charges. But felony charges can carry sentences of over a year to several years, again depending on the severity and circumstances.

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