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NBA skips arbitration hearing on brawl suspensions
National Basketball Association players union leaders met with an arbitrator to have suspensions from a brawl between players and fans reduced but league officials did not participate.
NBA officials said they did not recognize the authority of an arbitrator to review suspensions imposed by NBA commissioner David Stern upon Indiana's Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal following a November 19 brawl.
"The fact the NBA has elected not to participate is somewhat of a shock," union president Billy Hunter said.
Artest, Jackson and O'Neal as well as two other Pacers and five other fans were charged with misdemeanor assault and battery on Wednesday following the melee at a Detroit Pistons game in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Two other spectators were charged with tresspassing onto the court.
In the wake of the violence and mayhem, Stern gave Artest the longest banishment in NBA history, a total of 73 games or the remainder of the season, and imposed bans of 30 games on Jackson and 25 games on O'Neal.
Stern said the matters came under his authority under the union contract because they were on-court matters, even though many of tghe punches took place in the stands, where Artest confronted fans after being struck by a hurled cup.
But the union argued without rebuttal to an arbitrator that Stern should have followed the lead of prosecutors in Michigan and waited to review videotape and evidence gathered before imposing bans.
Union lawyers also argued the bans were too severe considering spectators were as guilty as players for the chaos.
"It was wrong, it was disproportionate and that's what we are challenging," union lawyer Jeff Kessler said.
Union official Michael Curry said players had the right to confront attackers and defend themselves and teammates from invaders onto the court.
"Players react," he said. "They don't have the chance to rewind."
An arbitration decision on the matter is likely next week, with the NBA likely to take legal action if the ruling goes against the punsihments already imposed.
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