Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley is facing serious legal ramifications following an incident he was allegedly involved in last month.
“Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley last month aimed a rifle at a couple and their teenage daughter in an SUV outside his Plymouth home, where a large stash of marijuana and other guns were seized by police, according to charges filed Thursday,” wrote Paul Walsh of the Star Tribune.
“Beasley, 23, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with drug possession and threats of violence. Montana Yao, an Instagram model and the mother of their 1 ½-year-old son, was charged with a felony drug count.”
Beasley just completed his fourth season in the NBA. He was originally the 19th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
After a modest start to his career, Beasley was traded to the T-Wolves midway through this past season. In 14 games with his new employer, he did very well, averaging 20.7 points per game, while making 42.6 percent of his 3-pointers.
According to reports, the incident seemed to be pretty severe and sinister.
“A couple was on the annual Parade of Homes tour Sept. 26 with their daughter and pulled up in an SUV to the home Beasley and Yao rent but saw it was roped off,” wrote Walsh. “While they were pulled over to look up another home to visit, Beasley tapped on the vehicle’s window and pointed a rifle at them and shouted an expletive while telling them to get off his property.
“Beasley continued to train his ‘all-black assault rifle with a forehand grip’ and a scope at the SUV as it drove away, the complaint read.
“A police search of the home turned up a 12-gauge shotgun, a handgun and a rifle that matched the description given by the couple in the SUV. The officers also tended to the son of Beasley and Yao in the home.
“Officers detected an overwhelming odor of marijuana and soon located more than 1 ¾ pounds of the drug in the basement living room and main floor office. Next to the stash was a notebook with rules for smoking the drug in the house.
“Police seized video recordings from interior surveillance cameras that showed Beasley grabbing a rifle and making ‘sounds like shots were being fired.’ He then went outside about the time the family in the SUV was confronted.”
Such a crime usually carries serious penalties should the perpetrator be found guilty. However, if Beasley is found guilty, his sentence may end up being a little lighter, at least according to one defense attorney.
“Joe Tamburino, a longtime Twin Cities defense attorney not involved in the case, said that ‘if what the complaint says is true, Mr. Beasley caught a huge break by not being charged with three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. … His charges are minor compared to what they could have charged him with,’” wrote Walsh.
Beasley, who’s about to turn 24 next month, will be a free agent once the NBA’s off-season transactional period officially begins.
