Pistons' Davis Set To Face Judge

Pistons center Dale Davis is scheduled to appear in court next Wednesday in Miami, Sports Illustrated is reporting.

Davis faces five misdemeanor charges -- including assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence -- stemming from an incident last month at a South Beach hotel that ended with Miami police shooting him with a stun gun.

According to Scott Kotler, Davis' attorney, a dispute began at the front desk of the South Beach Marriott after midnight on Aug. 1, when Davis asked a desk clerk for a key to one of three rooms registered to Davis' family. Kotler says there may have been some confusion over whom the rooms were registered to.

According to the police report, the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Davis became upset and belligerent when he was denied access to the room, then threatened to fight hotel security. Miami Beach police were summoned, and two officers responded. Officer Sam Velez told Davis to gather his belongings and leave the hotel. "I'm not going anywhere," Davis replied, according to the report, and continued to rant.

After the officers persuaded Davis to hand over his ID and wait outside the hotel, Davis paced in small circles in the driveway, yelling and screaming. When told by the police to calm down, the report says, Davis said, "Try me, redneck. What the f--- are you going to do, b----?"

According to the report, Davis started toward Velez, balling his fists and refusing to stop as ordered. Velez fired his Taser gun, dropping Davis to the driveway, and arrested him.

Davis and his agent, Chubby Wells, have threatened legal action against the police.

Via Sports Illustrated

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Another Pistons Fan Sues Pacers Over 2004 Brawl

Another Detroit Pistons fan is suing the Indiana Pacers, claiming he was beaten during the infamous 2004 brawl between players and fans in the stands of The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Michael Ryan, of Clarkston, Mich., filed a lawsuit last week in U.S. District Court in Detroit against the Pacers and players Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. Ryan alleges the two players assaulted him and the Pacers were negligent in signing Artest and allowing him to play given his "history of violence, repetitive conduct, and unfitness as a professional basketball player," The Detroit News reported Wednesday.

Ryan claims that when a fan threw a plastic cup of beer at Artest late in the Nov. 19, 2004, game, Artest mistakenly believed Ryan threw it. He alleges that the former Pacers forward charged into the stands and attacked him, soon joined by Jackson.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of civil suits stemming from the brawl.

Via USA Today

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Cowens Likely To Join Pistons Staff

Dave Cowens, a Hall of Fame player for the Celtics and former coach of the Celtics, Charlotte Hornets and Golden State Warriors, is expected to join Flip Saunders' coaching staff in Detroit.

"Nothing is done until it's done," Saunders said. "But we came to the decision that we were going to make our staff as good as we could make it. We weren't going to set any limits. I am real excited about bringing Dave in."

Via Detroit News

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