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The man accused of attacking Dave Chappelle on stage during a comedy show in LA earlier this month is opening up about why he ran on stage and tackled the comedian to the ground.
In an interview with the New York Post given from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in LA, Isaiah Lee shared that it was Chappelle's jokes that spurred the attack.
"I identify as bisexual ... and I wanted him to know what he said was triggering," Lee told The Post. "I wanted him to know that next time, he should consider first running his material by people it could affect."
Chappelle has faced backlash for jokes and comments made about transgender people, particularly since the release of his Netflix special, The Closer.
After Lee was caught by security, Chappelle got the mic and said, "That was a trans man." The comedian has since spoken about the incident on stage at different shows and claimed Lee was homeless.
"I'm also a single dad and my son is five," Lee told the outlet, revealing that at one point in his life, he was experiencing homelessness. "It's a struggle and I wanted Dave Chappelle to know it's not a joke."
Lee did confirm that he spoke with Chappelle after the incident and told the comedian: "I told him my mother and grandmother, who fought for his civil rights to be able to speak, would be upset at the things he said."
Lee claims Chappelle responded by saying, "Now your story will die with you, son."
Lee has pleaded not guilty to four misdemeanor charges including battery, possession of a weapon with intent to assault, unauthorized access to the stage area during a performance, and commission of an act that delays the event or interferes with the performer. Police say the 23-year-old was armed with a replica gun that could eject a blade if used properly.
Lee was also charged with the attempted murder of his roommate during an altercation at a transitional housing apartment. Lee pleaded not guilty.
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