Oscars Producer Packer: Police Wanted to Arrest Will Smith — Chris Rock Said 'No'

Oscars producer Will Packer said Thursday on “ABC World News Tonight” that the police wanted to arrest actor Will Smith for slapping comedian Chris Rock after making a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair.

ABC News reporter Kayna Whitworth said, “Tonight, one of the producers of the Oscars revealing exclusively to ABC News exactly what behind the scenes moments after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage for making a joke about his wife, Jada.”

Discussing the Los Angeles police, Packer said, “They were saying, you know, this is battery was the word they use in that moment. They said we will go get him. We are prepared. We’re prepared to get him right now. You can press charges. We can arrest him. They were laying out the options, and as they were talking,  Chris was — he was being very dismissive of those options. He was like, ‘No, I’m fine. No, no, no. I’m fine.’ And even to the point where I said, ‘Rock, let them finish.’”

Packer added, “The LAPD officers finished laying out what his options were, and they said, ‘Would you like us to take any action?’ He said, ‘No.’”

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