Cavs' Smith faces misdemeanor criminal mischief charge

[September 01, 2018]    Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith turned himself in to police Friday morning in relation to an accusation of throwing a fan's cellphone into a construction site near a New York City restaurant in July.

Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) reacts after being defended by Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (not pictured) during the second half in game five of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Joined by his lawyer, Alex Spiro, Smith walked into the New York Police Department's 10th Precinct to discuss what happened outside The Park restaurant on 10th Avenue, according to the New York Post.

Smith, who turns 33 next month, received a desk-appearance ticket and will face misdemeanor criminal mischief charges later this year in Manhattan Criminal Court.

"This is nonsense, and we're not going to respond to nonsense," Spiro said.

In the alleged incident, a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man accused Smith of taking his phone and launching it into the construction zone because he tried to take a photo of the player. He then used someone else's phone to call the police and open a criminal mischief complaint against Smith, according to the Post.

In 2015, at a pizza shop near The Park restaurant, a 19-year-old man accused Smith of trying to choke him after the man taunted him about being traded from the New York Knicks. Smith wasn't charged after an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

--Field Level Media

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