DENVER — The brother of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has been charged with misdemeanor assault after an altercation at Ball Arena in April that was captured on video.
Documents obtained by 9NEWS Investigates show that Strahinja Jokic was charged in connection with the April 22 incident during a playoff game against the LA Lakers. Court records show he's been charged with misdemeanor assault and is due in court on Aug. 21.
In April, video of the altercation went "viral," according to a probable cause statement from Denver Police. It showed Strahinja Jokic in an argument with another person before he's seen in the video hitting that person in the face.
The altercation was not reported the night it happened, and police first became aware of it the next day after video surfaced online.
The probable cause statement from Denver Police says the victim had "obvious cuts and bruising" near his left eye. He told police, according to the document, the assault was "unprovoked" and that he was "dazed" by the punch but did not lose consciousness.
The victim told police he saw a doctor and was diagnosed with a concussion. Police also spoke with witnesses who identified Strahinja Jokic as the man who punched the victim.
The victim initially said he did not want to pursue charges due to a fear of retaliation; however, in early May, he changed his mind.
The probable cause statement says that when Strahinja Jokic was served with the ticket and summons, he made an "unprompted" statement that he had done nothing wrong and was "defending an older man that he has known for a long time."
This charge is not the first time Strahinja Jokic has been in trouble with the law in Denver. In 2019, he was arrested on a felony assault charge after a domestic violence incident with a woman. She claimed he stole her phone and prevented her from calling police after a fight. Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to one single charge of misdemeanor telephone obstruction in the case.
If convicted of the newest charge, Strahinja Jokic could face up to 364 days in jail.
9NEWS Legal Analyst Scott Robinson reviewed the affidavit and said it appears to be a solid case for prosecutors.
"A case like this where you have it on videotape and you have an admission by the suspect that he did indeed commit the alleged offense, but in the defense of another -- those are pretty good pieces of evidence," Robinson said.