Report: Nuggets' Smith spilled bubbly, tore woman's dress
By Alan Gathright, Rocky Mounatin News
October 24, 2007
Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith ran afoul of the law by pouring champagne on a woman at a nightclub, then briefly apologizing before spitting on her, shoving her and tearing her dress, court records show.
The Oct. 13 clash led the Nuggets to suspend Smith for the first three games of the season.
A 22-year-old Englewood woman told police she was at the DC10 club in Denver when Smith poured Moet champagne on her, according to a summons charging the guard with assault, destruction of property, and disturbing the peace.
As the club closed for the night, the woman said Smith "apologized to the victim. Then (he) changed attitude and spit on her, used his hand to push her face, and tore her dress," according to the police report.
The woman called police, who arrived to find her in the torn dress. She had no other apparent injuries, the report said.
Smith, 22, then told the officer "he was very (drunk and) doesn't remember everything" that happened at the club, according to the officer's notes on the summons.
Smith, who was suspended for "conduct detrimental to the team," has publicly apologized to his teammates without specifying his conduct. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
Two other female witnesses gave statements to police, but Denver County Court officials withheld those documents this afternoon, citing restrictions on evidence by the City Attorney's Office.
Reach on the phone today, the woman declined comment and directed a reporter to her attorney.
The summons was the latest in a string of missteps by Smith during the past 10 months.
He was suspended 10 games for his role in a brawl at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 16 and never looked comfortable on the court when he returned.
Coach George Karl benched Smith for the Nuggets' final playoff game May 2, citing a lack of professionalism and bad judgment.
Things turned tragic during the summer when Smith was injured and a friend was killed in a car accident in New Jersey. Smith was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign and improper passing.
With a heavy heart, Smith reported for training camp saying he had learned hard lessons from his past actions.
"My whole attitude towards life is different," he said Oct. 1. "I have newfound respect for everyone and everything because my life was almost taken from me ... I've changed the way I act. I've realized that it's not always about me and what I want to go right."
Reminded about those earlier comments Monday, Smith chalked up the latest incident as a learning experience.
"It's just a common mistake," he said. "Everybody makes mistakes ...I grow up as fast as I can. At the same time, I'm not trying to rush it."
Nuggets officials had moved quickly to punish Smith for the nightclub incident, not waiting until the guard's case was resolved in the courts.
"There's no question that it's a head-shaker for me," Karl said of Smith's latest
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