Jimmy Connors Arrested

Police Take Tennis Great Into Custody at UC Santa Barbara Game

Eight-time Grand Slam winner Jimmy Connors was arrested by police following a confrontation outside the campus arena at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The arrest took place in the early stages of a basketball game between UC Santa Barbara and top-ranked North Carolina.

According to the Associated Press, Connors was arrested after refusing to comply with an order to leave an area near an entrance following the confrontation.

Let me get this straight. Police arrested Jimmy Connors (Jimmy Connors!) because he refused to leave a certain area? Do they have a right to do such a thing? I am pretty sure they do not. Common sense is pretty sure, too.

The Associated Press reports that Connors lives in Santa Barbara and attends several UC Santa Barbara games each season. That makes one assume that Connors had tickets to the North Carolina game. If he did indeed have tickets, he has grounds for a lawsuit because he had every right to be where he was. Tickets solidify his position. Season tickets increases punitive damages.

Conners knew what his rights were. He knew those police officers couldn't make him leave. He refused to leave. He got arrested. Now go file the suit. Confrontation be danged. Connors was in a public area.