Report: JR Smith Won't Face Charges for Alleged Assault on Vandal in LA

Free-agent guard JR Smith will reportedly not face charges after beating up an alleged vandal in Los Angeles.

TMZ Sports reported no charges are expected to be filed in the incident, which took place last week during a protest over racial discrimination and police brutality following the death of George Floyd. Video of Smith kicking the alleged vandal circulated widely, and the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard admitted he "whooped his ass" in a follow-up video. 

"One of these little motherf--king white boys didn't know where he was going and broke my f--king window in my truck," Smith said. "This is a residential area. There wasn't no stores over here, none of that s--t. Broke my window.

"I chased him down and whooped his ass. So if the footage comes out, and y'all see it, I chased him down and whooped his ass. He broke my window. This ain't no hate crime. I ain't got no problem with nobody who ain't got no problem with me. There's a problem with the motherf--kin' system. That's it. The motherf--ker broke my window, and I whooped his ass."

Smith told Pat McAfee he regretted beating up the vandal because of the example it set for his daughters.

"That ass whoopin' was a random act of stupidness on my behalf as well," Smith said (3:03 mark). "... when it happened, I seen red. When I finally snapped to ... I'm still disappointed with myself even though people say I shouldn't be.  

"For me, I'm 34 years old. I have four little girls at home. I don't want that image, regardless of the fact whether it was right or wrong, I don't want them to have that image of their dad being capable of doing that, and doing something like that."

The vandal has not been identified. 

Smith had been part of peaceful protests against police brutality and discrimination of black people in Los Angeles earlier in the day. Protests have been ongoing for nearly two weeks after the death of George Floyd in police custody.

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for his involvement in Floyd's death. Video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes went viral late last month, leading to outcry over police violence.

Three additional officers who were at the scene have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter