Res. No. 897 Title Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to amend the Penal Law so that trespass upon the playing area of a professional sporting event is considered an A misdemeanor. Body By the Speaker (Council Member Miller) and Council Members Vallone, Addabbo, Comrie, Fidler, Gennaro, Katz, Nelson, Quinn, Recchia, Sanders and Weprin Whereas, Under current state penal law, trespass on the playing area of a professional sporting event is considered criminal trespass in the third degree, a class B misdemeanor, which, at a maximum, provides for three months in jail; and Whereas, Such a penalty is not sufficient to deter the behavior of unruly sports fans who, according to sports authorities, have become more emboldened as the number of sports professionals attacked during professional sporting events increases; and Whereas, For example, on April 15, 2003, the Royals' umpire, Laz Diaz, was attacked and narrowly escaped serious injury in Chicago, by a 24-year-old fan who ran out of the stands and tried to tackle him; this incident was subsequent to three distinct instances of fans running onto the field during earlier innings; and Whereas, Seven months prior to Diaz's attack, on September 19, 2002, the Royals' coach, Tom Gamboa, was attacked by a 35-year-old father and his 15-year-old son who ran out of the stands and pummeled the 55-year-old Gamboa, who has since suffered a hearing loss in his right ear; and Whereas, Such incidents point to the need to increase the penalties for this type of behavior, and the State Legislature needs to recognize the seriousness of this activity by making such trespass onto the playing area of a professional sporting event a class A misdemeanor; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the State Legislature to amend the Penal Law so that trespass upon the playing area of a professional sporting event is considered an A misdemeanor. TB 5/22/03