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Lakers' Jaxson Hayes' 2021 case reopened by NBA after release of new footage

By
Updated  November 4, 2024 8:28am PST
Los Angeles Lakers
FOX 11

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Jaxson Hayes case: LAPD sergeant violated policy by kneeling on NBA player’s neck

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: An LAPD sergeant has been found to have violated department policy by kneeling on Jaxson Hayes’ neck.

Are you or someone you know a recent survivor of domestic violence? Help is available. Los Angeles County has a hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-978-3600. A national hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233. 

The Brief

    • Jaxson Hayes, a player for the Los Angeles Lakers, was involved in an alleged domestic violence incident in July 2021.
    • Once LAPD officers were called to the scene in Woodland Hills, he got into a physical altercation with them.
    • One of the officers was accused of violating policy for kneeling on Hayes' neck.
    • Hayes was sentenced to 450 hours of community service, 52 weeks of domestic-violence classes and three years of probation.
    • The NBA reopened the investigation after TMZ released new video footage of the incident.

LOS ANGELES – The NBA has reopened its investigation into an alleged domestic violence incident from 2021 involving Jaxson Hayes after new video was released from the night of the altercation. Hayes played for the New Orleans Pelicans at the time and currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Over the weekend, TMZ released surveillance footage from the night of the incident before LAPD officers arrived, time stamped around 1:30 a.m. on July 28, 2021.

The video lasts just over five minutes. In the video, his partner at the time is heard saying "I don’t feel safe," and "Don’t touch me."

As she says "Stop, let go of me," Hayes is heard saying, "What the f--- is wrong with you?"

A third party then appeared to try to de-escalate the situation. 

The altercation then moved to the driveway where she says, "I’m not going to let you hit me anymore. What the f--- do I look like? A punching bag?"

She then asks him to get in his car. Within seconds, Hayes appears to spit on her as he walks away.

"As a result of the media report and video posted this morning, we are reopening our investigation," NBA spokesperson Mike Bass confirmed with ESPN. 

The 24-year-old declined to speak with reporters during practice Sunday. However, Lakers head coach JJ Redick, acknowledged the investigation.

"We're obviously aware that the investigation has been reopened, and we're going to cooperate fully," Redick said after practice, as reported by ESPN. "But other than that, I'm not going to have another comment on that."

More on the Jaxson Hayes case

In July 2021, the Los Angeles Police Department launched an internal investigation after Hayes was arrested following a physical altercation with officers in Woodland Hills.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Pelicans' Jaxson Hayes arrested, hospitalized following physical altercation with LAPD officers

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation after New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes was arrested following an altercation with officers in Woodland Hills. According to the department, the incident may have involved force being applied to Hayes’ neck.

The internal investigation revealed the LAPD sergeant violated department policy by kneeling on Hayes’ neck for nearly 15 seconds during the altercation.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Hayes pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count each of false imprisonment and resisting an officer. According to court documents, ten other misdemeanor counts against Hayes, including infliction of corporal injury and vandalism, were dismissed as a result of his plea.

In June 2022, Hayes was sentenced to 450 hours of community service, 52 weeks of domestic-violence classes and three years of probation. 

The Lakers announced the signing of Hayes on July 6, 2023. In an interview with The Athletic, Rob Pelinka, the team's vice president of basketball operations and general manager, said the Lakers did their due diligence and fully vetted the young big man.

"I think the most important thing is we take those things very seriously and do a full vetting process," Pelinka said. "Jaxson has been very sincere (with) his apologies around handling that and has moved beyond it to where he’s had a year or two in the NBA playing after it. It was something that we felt like he owned, took responsibility for it, and is going to be a better person on the other side of it."