Philadelphia 76ers star Charles Barkley will find out Wednesday whether he`ll be charged with misdemeanor battery for punching a Milwaukee man outside a night club last month.
Assistant District Attorney Michael Steinhafel said Tuesday he wouldn`t announce his decision until Wednesday morning because he had not finished interviewing witnesses to the Dec. 22 early morning incident.
”It`s serious. There is a possibility a serious crime has been committed here,” Steinhafel said.
Barkley gave his side of the story Tuesday in an hour-long session in the DA`s office. Barkley claims he was provoked into punching James R. McCarthy, who suffered a broken nose and needed seven stitches.
”I feel like I gave my point of view . . . If they issue a charge, I have to deal with it. If they don`t that would be great,” Barkley said.
”I feel that I was in the right that night,” he said. ”Anytime someone says they`re going to hit me, I have the right to hit him.” He was then pulled away from a nest of microphones by his attorneys.
A misdemeanor battery charge carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine.
