Major League Baseball

No felony charges in postgame beating

Published May. 22, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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Los Angeles County prosecutors declined to file felony charges Tuesday against four men arrested for a postgame beating and brawl outside Dodger Stadium, an incident that stoked memories of the vicious beating last season of a San Francisco Giants fan, but proved far less serious.

Because all the injuries involved were minor and investigators could not determine who instigated Sunday's attack and who acted in self-defense, the district attorney's office decided that if any crimes were involved, they did not rise to the level of felonies, DA's spokeswoman Jane Robison said.

''Multiple witnesses couldn't identify who started the fight,'' Robison said.

The case was referred to the city attorney, who can still file misdemeanor charges, Robison said.

Police said the Sunday night fight after a 6-5 Dodger victory over the St. Louis Cardinals was just a minor fender-bender that spiraled out of control.

It began with two cars colliding in the parking lot and two drivers getting out and confronting each other, and ended with one driver kicking and hitting another in the head and face while three other men held him down.

Four men, Arthur Morales, 20; Alan Trujillo, 29; Alejandro Briceno, 29; and Ulises Briceno, 26, were arrested and released after posting $30,000 bail apiece.

The driver, a man in his 20s whose name was not released was taken to a hospital, treated for cuts and bruises, and sent home.

A pregnant woman who was in the car with him and witnessed the attack was taken to the hospital as a precaution, authorities said.

The move came on the same day prosecutors filed federal weapons charges against two men accused of assaulting a Giants fan at Dodger Stadium on opening day of 2011. Louise Sanchez and Marvin Norwood have pleaded not guilty to mayhem and assault charges.

The attack left Santa Cruz paramedic Bryan Stow with brain damage and made him a symbol of fan-on-fan violence at sporting events.

Stow's family has filed a lawsuit against the team and previous owner Frank McCourt, claiming security cutbacks were partially to blame for the attack.

Police and the Dodgers have vowed to create a safer stadium environment in the time since.

LAPD Commander Andrew Smith said police have maintained a high presence at games throughout the year, including undercover officers wearing rival team jerseys.

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