2 Pacers Players Indicted In Bar Fight

Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley and teammate Marquis Daniels were charged Wednesday in a Feb. 6 bar fight.

A Marion County grand jury indicted Tinsley on a felony charge of intimidation and misdemeanor counts of battery, disorderly conduct and intimidation for the fight at 8 Seconds Saloon, said Matthew Symons, spokesman for the Marion County prosecutor.

Daniels was charged with battery and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Tinsley and Daniels were expected to surrender to authorities Wednesday night, Symons said. The Pacers played a home game Wednesday night against Milwaukee, and team spokesman David Benner said Tinsley and Daniels both were expected to play.

"We have games to play. We've dealt with distractions before," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Dealing with external situations is a part of playing and coaching in this league and we're going to have to deal with it."

The Pacers issued a statement noting that Tinsley and Daniels had insisted they were innocent and urging the media and the public to give due process time to work.

"In our system of justice, grand juries do not find anyone guilty of anything," the statement said.

"We need to give the process time to treat everyone fairly and reach a just result. The Pacers hope the media and the public will join with us in affording the presumption of innocence to Jamaal and Marquis. The Pacers believe due process requires it."

No one was immediately arrested or charged after the fight, which happened hours after a home loss to Golden State. Instead, a grand jury was convened to examine the evidence and decide whether charges should be filed.

According to the police report, the bar manager said Tinsley threatened to kill him during the fight. The confrontation with the players followed another fight involving a person who employees thought was trying to steal coats from the coat check area, police said.

Pacers players yelled obscenities at staff members, the report said.

At some point, Tinsley punched bar manager Mark Nicholson, 42, on the left side of his head, knocking him to his knees, the report said. Nicholson said Daniels and another man began striking him in the face. Other witnesses then separated those involved in the fight.

Nicholson suffered a laceration to the forehead and may have lost a tooth in the scuffle, police said.

Nicholson and other witnesses told police that Pacers player Keith McCleod was involved in pushing and shoving during the fight, but Nicholson could not say if McCleod had struck him. McCleod was not charged.

McCleod also has denied involvement in the fight.