NHL: Todd Bertuzzi charged with assault

[Cush]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=88820

VANCOUVER (CP) - Vancouver Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi was charged Thursday with assault causing bodily harm for his on-ice attack on Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore that left Moore with neck injuries.

The charges were announced by the criminal justice branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General after an investigation that lasted four months

[Screaming Lord Byron]

1. Is there a recent precedent for this?

I can't think of one off hand.

[stopthegop]

2. from the film..it's a valid charge..

pretty brutal hit from behind..I think play was over at the time

[Screaming Lord Byron]

3. No, I'm not questioning the validity of the charge, just if there's

a precedent.

[stopthegop]

4. a player was charged for hitting an audience member

a few years ago...not sure more recent

[GOPisEvil]

5. There was an NHL player charged a few years ago as well.

I can't recall excatly, but it may well have been Marty McSorley. I could be wrong on that though.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

6. Now, that definitely rings a bell.

McSorley got into series trouble when he came down hard on Donald Brashear (if I recall his name correctly).

On edit - I changed his name from Donald to Duncan to Donald. I shoulda just stuck with the first, eh?

[TN al]

7. It's Donald Brashear...

...but anyway, I seem to recall a trial in Toronto in the late '70's maybe 1977? It was because of an on ice brawl during a playoff game between the Leafs and Flyers. Does anyone else remember this? I seem to recall that the players were found not guilty.