Dave Chappelle’s Alleged Attacker Isaiah Lee Reportedly Weighing Plea Deal

On Thursday, Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker from May’s Netflix Is a Joke festival, Isaiah Lee, received a plea deal offer stemming from his misdemeanor charges on that day.

According to Rolling Stone, Lee is considering the offer, with his public defender Chelsea Padilla telling an L.A. judge that they had no plans of making claims of mental incompetency “at this time.” In a separate hearing moments later, Padilla also petitioned for a delay in the case to “see if there’s a disposition in the felony matter which would potentially resolve (this case) as well.”

As previously reported by The Root, Lee was charged with misdemeanor battery, misdemeanor possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault and two violations related to storming the stage and interfering with a performance. After hearing the charges, Chappelle and his lawyer, Gabriel Colwell, urged L. A. County District Attorney George Gascón to rethink his decision and instead charge Lee with a felony.

Unfortunately, for the comedian, D.A. Gascón ultimately concluded that because Chappelle wasn’t physically injured and Lee was considered unarmed—due to the fact that the switchblade inside the replica gun he was carrying was folded during the attack—the DA concluded “[Mr. Lee’s] behavior under California law did not, and I repeat, did not amount to felony conduct.” The case was subsequently referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

In addition to these charges, Lee also faces felony charges for attempted murder for allegedly stabbing his roommate back in December 2021. The incident took place during a fight in a transitional housing apartment. D.A. Gascón’s office will prosecute this case due to “ the nature and severity” of that attack.