Judge dismisses Palace brawl suits against Artest
DETROIT -- Two civil lawsuits against Ron Artest stemming from the November 2004 brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills have been dismissed.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna Diggs Taylor on Monday dismissed the civil lawsuits against the former Indiana Pacer star.
Artest's lawyer, Allan Rubin, said Taylor ruled on motions filed by the defense.
"We're extremely happy. We believe the court made the right decision," Rubin said. "We believe the plaintiffs were overreaching in their claims."
William Paulson, of Grand Blanc, Mich., claimed he suffered a concussion after Artest and former Pacer Stephen Jackson fought with fans at the close of Indiana's game with the Detroit Pistons.
In the second suit, John Ackerman of St. Clair, Mich., claimed he suffered a concussion after being punched by Pacer David Harrison.
Ackerman's suit blamed Artest for starting the fight.
Separate cases against the Pacers, Jackson and Harrison are pending.
Todd Weglarz, lawyer for Paulson and Ackerman, says a decision has not been made to appeal Taylor's ruling.
"We're still proceeding against the team and others," he said.
"Mr. Paulson was assaulted by Stephen Jackson. Mr. Ackerman was hit by (David) Harrison."
TINSLEY HAPPY TO BE ALIVE -- Jamaal Tinsley knows he has to make lifestyle changes, and he feels blessed to have the chance.
That was the Indiana Pacers guard's mind-set 36 hours after being shot at with an assault weapon in front of a downtown Indianapolis hotel. He was not injured.
"The man upstairs, he gave me another opportunity to see another day. When athletes step out, anything can happen," the sixth-year player said after practice.
Tinsley met with coach Jim O'Brien and team president Larry Bird a day after the guard and several companions were targeted in an early Sunday morning shooting that wounded the team's equipment manager. The suspected shooters have not been arrested as police continue to investigate.
According to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Paul Thompson, at least three people in Tinsley's group had guns, all of which were legal. Though police didn't say Tinsley was carrying a gun, he does have a permit.
The team didn't punish Tinsley in the latest instance of Pacers players finding trouble -- or trouble finding them.
First-year coach O'Brien said Tinsley did nothing wrong, other than making bad decisions, but he knows the damage might already have been done to an image the franchise has worked frantically to rebuild.
"Of course, you worry about your fans and the community and how people look at you," Tinsley said. "I made a stupid mistake, again.
"I'm very disappointed that it happened, with me. It was supposed to be fun. That's all I wanted to do is have fun."
TIP-INS -- Toronto forward Andrea Bargnani practiced for the first time in more than a week and hopes to play when the Raptors face the Atlanta Hawks today. If Bargnani plays, it will be the first time Toronto has had its trio of stars -- Bargnani, T.J. Ford and Chris Bosh -- together in the lineup since Nov. 20. ...
Madison Square Garden and New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas reached an $11.5 million settlement of the sexual harassment case brought by a former team executive. The deal came as Anucha Browne Sanders was preparing to return to U.S. District Court in Manhattan, where her description of her ordeal with the Knicks exposed the club's tawdry side, from its dysfunctional clubhouse to its star player's sexual exploits with an intern. A jury awarded her $11.6 million in punitive damages. This deal replaces that. ...
Stephon Marbury missed the Knicks' game against the Dallas Mavericks, and the team has said he can take as much time as he needs following the death of his father.
This story was originally published December 11, 2007 at 3:33 AM with the headline "Judge dismisses Palace brawl suits against Artest."