Florida Criminal Attorney Blog
LeBron James’ mother was arrested for simple battery and disorderly intoxication Thursday morning after a confrontation with a valet at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau hotel. The 43-year-old woman allegedly hit a valet around 5 a.m.
According to NBC Miami, the woman requested her SUV from the valet who retrieved her car and brought it to the valet ramp. After the car was left running for supposedly 30 minutes while the woman spoke with other hotel guests, the valet turned off the SUV and gave the keys to the valet cashier.
The arrest report shows that the woman came looking for her car a short time later, yelling profanities at the valet. She allegedly slapped the valet across the face with her hand, lost her balance and fell to the ground.
Once police arrived at the hotel, James’ mother was in the car with another woman behind the wheel. James’ mom apparently would not speak to police about what happened, but the other woman told officers they had a verbal argument.
James’ mother was transported to the police station where it was noted she smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. Police reports show she was apparently uncooperative and refused to have her picture taken. She was released to Miami Heat executive Steve Stowe Thursday morning.
James’ mother was arrested on DWI charges in 2006 in Cleveland while James was with the Cavaliers.
Simple battery is any type of non-consensual, harmful or insulting physical contact with the intention to harm. In order for a person to be convicted of battery there must be proof that the offense was deliberate and meant to impose harm on the other party. There are different degrees of battery, but the charge James’ mother faces is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by any combination of one year in jail, one year of probation or a fine up to $1,000. Simple battery can range from snatching a person’s wrist to chucking an object at them. The important thing to note on a simple battery charge is that no one has to be injured; un-consensual contact is the only requirement.
If you have been arrested for a battery crime in Florida, contact the Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers at the Law Offices of Whittel & Melton, LLC online or call 1-866-608-5LAW (5529).