It was the slap that got everyone's attention during Sunday night's Academy Awards but what are the legal implications of the incident?

I'm pretty sure the 2022 Oscars will go down in history.

Years from now, the moment Will Smith got up and slapped Chris Rock across the face will be replayed on screens all over the planet.

From kids who weren't alive to see it, to security guards training for a big award show (because you know that there will likely be more security as we move forward with award shows...) to students studying in law school.

Because, this is a legal issue, too.

Whether you agree that Will's reaction was justified based on what Chris Rock said at Jada's expense or not, the fact is, Will slapped Chris and under legal laws, that is battery.

Mahoney & Mahoney, LLC,'s principal lawyer, Tim Mahoney stopped by Good Day Stateline Tuesday night to break down the legal aspects of Sunday night's slap.

Hearing from a lawyer on a topic like this really brought another element into the discussion, especially once Tim explained that although Chris Rock chose not to press charges, that does not mean there won't be legal action taken against Will Smith.

While Chris hasn't posted anything specific about the incident, both Will and Jada have addressed the moment on social media, Will with an apology and Jada with one sentence.


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A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

Chris however is going on tour and ticket sales have skyrocketed this week.


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A post shared by Chris Rock (@chrisrock)

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