(CelebrityAccess) — Law enforcement officials in Los Angeles were reportedly prepared to arrest actor Will Smith following his attack on Oscars host Chris Rock during the Academy Awards on Sunday night but were stopped short when Rock said he did not want them to intervene.
The revelation came during an exclusive interview of Academy Awards producer Will Packer, who told ABC News’ TJ Holmes that police were ready to arrest Smith on battery charges.
“That is an absolute fact,” Packer said during the interview that was published on Friday. “The LAPD made it clear: ‘We will do whatever you want us to do, and one of the options is that we will go and arrest him right now.'”
According to Packer, Rock was so quick to waive police off from arresting Smith that Packer had to interject to tell Rock to let the police finish explaining the situation.
After the incident, the LAPD announced that Rock had declined to file charges in the attack, but said the option would remain open to him if he has a change of heart.
Packer also dispelled notions that the shocking moment was staged and detailed his conversation with Rock when he came off stage immediately after the punch.
“I said: ‘Did he really hit you?” Packer said he asked Rock. “And he looked at me and he goes: ‘I just took a punch from Muhammad Ali.’ It’s exactly what he said, as only Chris can, you know. He was immediately in joke mode, but you could tell that he was very much still in shock.”
