In April 2022, on a JetBlue flight from San Francisco, California, to Florida, an altercation occurred involving former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and a passenger, Melvin Townsend. A video that gained widespread attention shows Tyson assaulting Townsend.
After the incident, Townsend, through his legal representative Jake Jondle, made a pre-litigation settlement demand to Tyson’s attorneys on November 28, 2023. He is seeking $450,000 in damages. Townsend claims he endured a severe headache, neck pain, loss of employment, and ongoing medical complications requiring therapy due to Tyson’s actions. His lawyer noted that Tyson, 57, had other non-violent options and referenced Tyson’s public admission of wrongdoing.
Tyson’s legal team rejected this demand, calling it a “shakedown,” and contended that Townsend was the instigator. No charges were pressed against Tyson following the altercation.
The accounts of the incident by Townsend and Tyson differ significantly. Townsend states he was just an enthusiastic fan talking to Tyson about marijuana and mushrooms. However, Tyson’s representatives argue Townsend’s behavior was provocative and improper, including attempts to repeatedly engage Tyson in conversation and allegedly throwing a water bottle at him.
It’s noted that Townsend has a criminal record, including convictions for grand theft, fraud, trafficking in stolen property, and burglary. Tyson, for his part, was convicted of rape in 1992 and served three years of a six-year sentence.