Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Jonathan N. Xavier, 25, the Pawtucket barber who interfered with a basketball game between Providence College and Marquette University in which his brother was playing, pleaded no contest this morning to the crime of disorderly conduct.

District Court Judge Walter Gorman sentenced Xavier, of 30 Leonard Jenard Drive, Pawtucket, to a three months' suspended prison sentence and six months of probation on the misdemeanor. Under Rhode Island law, a no-contest plea is the equivalent of guilty.

Xavier got up from his spectator's seat and walked onto the basketball court to complain to a referee that the game officials had wrongly failed to call a foul when his brother, PC senior guard Jeff Xavier, was struck in the face by the elbow of a Marquette player. Jeff Xavier fell to the floor, writhing in pain, but he was not seriously hurt.

The nationally televised game was played Jan. 17 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

Jonathan Xavier already had served 16 days' imprisonment for the misbehavior -- one day for each of the 16 seconds that he caused the game to be delayed -- because he was judged to have been a likely probation violator. He pleaded guilty to the probation violation after having served the 16 days -- he was on probation from 2005 drug convictions in two Pawtucket cases -- and then was released from the Adult Correctional Institutions.

The disorderly conduct and probation violation charges were brought by Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, who has said that he was appalled that a nationally televised intercollegiate game would be interrupted by someone coming out of the grandstand. Lynch played intercollegiate basketball at Brown University, and he still plays recreationally and coaches youth basketball.

The Providence police initially arrested Xavier and charged him with violation of a municipal ordinance regarding disorderly conduct, which is a civil offense. But Lynch took jurisdiction of the case and charged him criminally. The attorney general could not have charged Xavier with being a violator unless he was charged with a crime first, according to Lynch spokesman Michael J. Healey.

Xavier "crossed two lines when he walked onto the court ..." Lynch has said. "The first line he crossed was literal -- the sideline of the basketball court. The second line was legal: as a convicted felon who was out on probation, Jonathan Xavier did not stay out of trouble. When he pled to his drug charges, he promised to keep the peace and be of good behavior. He didn't keep his promise."

 Tags  Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch Dunkin' Donuts Center Jonathan N. Xavier Marquette University Michael J. Healey Providence College Providence RI

Comments

Himmler said:

Wow. Probation or not, that sentence is deranged. Did he hit anybody? Did he harm anybody? Was his brother "writhing in pain" on the court?

I'm not saying that his actions were justified, but I think an ejection from the game and a banning from the premises would have been plenty. It's not like he walked out on the court and punched somebody.

Link | March 13, 2009 2:07 PM
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Mike T said:

Attorney General Lynch has shown poor professional judgement in this case. To ultilize his professional position to single this individual out serves no purpose. To inject himself in what should have been a normal Providence Police juristication, display a lack of maturity, both professionally & personally.

For the record, I do not know this gentleman. However, I don't think allowing politicians to single out individuals inorder to endulge their personal views is healthy for a democracy.

I have no respect for this.

Link | March 13, 2009 3:58 PM
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