Man accused of attacking Dave Chappelle faces attempted murder charge in another case

Isaiah Lee, the man accused of attacking Dave Chappelle during a show, has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing his roommate.

During his stand-up set at the Hollywood Bowl for the Netflix Is A Joke festival earlier this month, Chappelle was allegedly tackled to the ground by Lee, who was escorted off-stage by security. He was reportedly armed with a fake gun containing a real knife inside.

It has now been revealed that the publicity surrounding the incident helped connect Lee to an earlier crime. He is accused of stabbing his roommate at a transitional housing facility on 2 December, and the victim identified him as his alleged attacker amid the media attention.

"The publicity generated by the attack on Mr. Chappelle helped police solve this crime," Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said on Thursday, reports the New York Post. "The incident that occurred at the Hollywood Bowl was misdemeanor conduct and rightfully referred to the City Attorney's Office. Based on the nature and severity of the December attack, Mr. Lee is now facing felony charges which my office will prosecute."

They said Lee, 23, has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge. He will appear in court over the case on 2 June.

For the Chappelle incident, Lee was charged with four misdemeanours - battery, possessing a deadly weapon with intent to assault, unauthorised access to the stage area during a performance and commission of an act that delays the event or interferes with the performer. He pleaded guilty to those charges.