Floyd Mayweather Jr. associate indicted in skating rink shooting

By Cara McCoy

Published Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | 1:27 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | 3:06 p.m.

An associate of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been indicted on attempted murder and assault charges in connection with an August shooting incident at a Las Vegas roller rink.

Ocie Harris, 27, is charged with six felonies: two counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of discharging a firearm into a vehicle and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.

The grand jury indictment was unsealed today and a warrant was issued for Harris’ arrest. His attorney said Harris would voluntarily surrender May 4, which is the date set for his arraignment.

Harris is accused of shooting at a BMW convertible with two people inside after words were exchanged with Mayweather on Aug. 23 at the Crystal Palace Skating Center. No one was wounded as a result of the shooting.

Harris, who lives in Chicago, was extradited to Las Vegas in March. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and released after posting a $7,500 cash bail.

District Court Judge Elissa Cadish today set bail at a combined $140,000 on all charges.

Prosecutor Sam Bateman asked for a bail of $200,000. He said bail was never formally addressed at the justice court level and was set by a judge over a weekend without input from the state.

“In justice court, there is a bail schedule and certain charges have standard bail settings. I would note that what was ultimately given in this case was lower than standard bail,” Bateman said, adding that bail on such charges is typically set at a court hearing.

Tom Pitaro, who represents Harris, was present for the filing of the indictment and argued against setting a higher bail for his client.

He said Harris isn’t the real target in the investigation and said that prosecutors and police investigators are using his client as a “pawn” in building a case against the world champion boxer.

"Mr. Harris has now become the pawn in this little fiasco that seems to be going on about trying to get the prizefighter, Mr. Mayweather," he said.

After the hearing, Bateman said he couldn’t discuss whether charges against Mayweather were presented to the grand jury. Grand jury proceedings are secret, but a transcript of the proceedings should be available within the coming weeks.

Mayweather hasn’t been named by police as a suspect in the case.

After leaving the courtroom, Pitaro expressed frustration with the higher bail.

“The setting of such a bail is absolutely outrageous,” he said. Harris, who lives in Chicago, has no felony or misdemeanor convictions in his record and is in contact with his attorneys every week to check on the case, Pitaro said. Harris, who works as a van driver, likely wouldn’t be able to post bail, Pitaro said.

Mayweather is set to fight Shane Mosley next month at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.