MIAMI (WSVN) - A member of the audience at a Heat game was arrested after he ran onto the court and grabbed the game ball.
Nineteen-year-old Marsel Imer ran onto the court during Tuesday night’s game, with less than a second left, to grab the ball that had just been shot.
The Miami Heat, like other teams in the NBA, have a fan code of conduct.
Guests who go to the games will see and hear the announcement on the jumbotron that includes a warning against entering the basketball court or attempting to make contact with a player. Those who violate the rule risk getting ejected from the arena and/or criminal prosecution.
The Heat were playing against the Denver Nuggets, and the incident occurred while a Nuggets player was shooting free throws.
Imer was arrested on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct.
A public defender argued in court that Imer is from Germany and could not understand the fan code of conduct because he does not know English.
Imer was originally being held on a $1,500 bond but was granted no persecution. Instead, a judge ordered he be banned from the AmericanAirlines Arena for life.
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