Five Pacers charged in brawl

Forward Jermaine O’Neal was charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, while Ron Artest, David Harrison, Anthony Johnson and Stephen Jackson were all charged with one count of assault and battery.

The offense carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca announced the charges during an afternoon news conference.

The fight involving spectators and players broke out near the end of the game after an on-court dispute over a foul. The contest was stopped with 45 seconds left in the fourth quarter and Indiana was credited with a 97-82 victory.

With the Pacers ahead by 15 points, things unraveled when Ben Wallace was fouled by Artest and the Pistons’ center took exception to what he deemed a hard foul and gave Artest a two-handed push to the face.

After that, the pushing and shoving continued by the scorers’ table as players came off both benches. The Detroit fans then lost control and began throwing cups filled with liquid and ice at Artest, who was surprisingly staying out of harm’s way on top of the scorers’ table. Artest was hit in the head with a flying cup and immediately raced into the stands and started punching whom he thought was the culprit.

Jackson followed into the crowd, along with several other players, and started swinging away at the unruly fans.

Meanwhile, John Green, a season ticket holder, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery, one for throwing the cup at Artest that sparked the melee and the other for throwing a punch at Artest when he was in the stands.

Bryant Jackson, the fan accused of throwing a chair into the crowd, was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and battery and one count of felony assault.

David Wallace, the brother of the Pistons’ Ben Wallace, was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and battery,

Two days after the disgraceful incident, NBA commissioner David Stern issued harsh penalties. He suspended Artest for the remainder of the season, while Jackson got a 30-game suspension and O’Neal 25 games. Ben Wallace received six games and Johnson got suspended for five. Four players were also suspended for one game each — Indiana’s Reggie Miller and Detroit’s Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell and Derrick Coleman.

The players’ union is appealing the suspensions of Artest, Jackson and O’Neal, and a hearing is slated for Thursday in New York.