Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams has been charged with misdemeanor assault for aggressively shoving a credentialed photographer to the ground after the Raiders lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, 30-29.
Video shows Adams walking off the field visibly frustrated after the close loss, which makes sense given that the Raiders now sit at a disappointing 1-4 after the season began with high expectations. But on his way to the locker room, the unsuspecting cameraman crossed his path and Adams forcefully shoved the photographer out of his way.
Davante Adams was visibly upset after the Raiders’ loss to the Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/XW2fmx6adJ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 11, 2022
The photographer said in his police report he filed on Tuesday that he suffered whiplash, a headache, and possibly a minor concussion. Adams apologized for what he did, though he did lie and say that the cameraman was running full speed at him (which the video shows is not true).
A Kansas City court charged Adams on Wednesday, and Adams faces up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.
This is where the story should stop. It’s an obviously boneheaded offense that is being handled by the proper authorities. Until something else happens in the case, we can forget about it.
But thanks to race-baiter Jemele Hill, we can’t do that.
Hill, who’s history of racist sports commentary rivals that of her former ESPN colleague Stephen A. Smith, tweeted out that Adams’ punishment was a perfect example of how the justice system in America is apparently bent on dishing out unnecessary punishment towards black people.
Totally on brand for how Black men are treated by the police — willing to go above and beyond to prove a point. https://t.co/XvInJ1YaBU
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 12, 2022
But the charges filed against Adams are perfectly justifiable, and the photographer filed a report.
According to Missouri law, someone is guilty of misdemeanor assault if he or she “attempts to cause or recklessly causes physical injury, physical pain, or illness to another person,” or if “the person recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person” (these are two of the six possible categories for this type of charge). I’m no law expert, but it seems like those two categories closely describe what Adams did.
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So in reality, Missouri law enforcement did not do anything excessive, they simply enforced state law and are giving Adams a punishment worthy of his actions. Not that facts matter to Hill. She, and other sports commentators, think it's racist if black athletes and coaches are held accountable for their actions.
If you commit a crime, you should be held accountable, regardless of whether you’re white or black, rich or poor, an NFL star or an average Joe. To say that one class of people is above the law and should get away with crimes based on their skin color is a harmful -- and ironically, racist -- way to view the world.
