Mike Tyson family, living in a fish bowl

In this Sept. 24, 2009, photo Mike Tyson poses with television talk show host Oprah Winfrey during a taping in Chicago. Tyson and rival Evander Holyfield met on the show, Friday, Oct. 16th. Tyson was disqualified after biting off part of Holyfield's right ear during their title fight on June 28, 1997. (AP Photo/Hapro Productions, George Burns)

Early Wednesday, November, 11, 2009, Tony Echevarria, a 50-year-old freelance videographer who sells his video to TV shows, was given a heads up that Mike Tyson and his family was scheduled to arrive at LAX in the afternoon after their long flight from London, England.  After spotting the world travelers, 43-year-old Mike Tyson, his wife, and their 10-month-old daughter, he took the same long walk with them through the Los Angeles International Airport. The walk would be a long one since they had to go the long stretch from Terminal 3 all the way down to Terminal 7 with most passer-bys shouting an occasional greeting “Hey, Champ!”

At first Tyson, obviously tired from the long trip, didn't appear bothered by the continual videotaping by Echevarria. The trouble would begin when they arrived at the United Airlines ticket counter and Tyson had trouble finding a toilet. There are several different versions of what happened next.

Tyson's attorney Shawn Chapman Holley later stated: “The characteristically aggressive paparazzi got a little too close for comfort and Echeverria reportedly bumped into the baby's stroller.”

LAX police Sgt. Jim Holcomb said Tyson allegedly hit the photographer, Tony Echevarria, once in the face with one hand, causing a laceration on the forehead and both men made citizen's arrests on each other, were booked on misdemeanor battery, and were released without bail.

The L.A. Times reported that some witnesses claim the paparazzi started the fight by getting all up in Mike's life at the airport. Mike was with his daughter at the time and the videographer was following him everywhere including to the bathroom. Mike told police Echevarria threw the first punch, because he was trying to provoke him. Echevarria 's story is that Mike busted him in the face first and then tried to take the film out of his camera.
 

Photo circulating the internet on Friday of the injuries Tony Echevarria sustained on Wednesday, Nov. 11th. 

First off, I want everyone to take a look at the photo being circulated on the internet which shows the photographer with bruises on his face. As a follow up, they have the latest media darling wearing head bandages. Why the bandages from chin to the top of the head? Did the doctor on duty figure his brains were about to fall out? Or was that a re-wrap suggested by a lawyer? 

Just as these insinuations are without merit, so will the next few months of trials and tribulations be for Mr. Echevarria, Mike Tyson and his family. To save our courts system and the parties involved much time and money; I suggest the two men meet somewhere and exchange “I’m sorry’s.”

Echevarria: I’m sorry I didn’t give you and your family enough space. I was pushy and rude.

Tyson: That’s all right man. I let my emotions get the best of me. The main thing is…are you all right? Is there anything I can do? Perhaps cover you hospital expenses? Buy you a new camera? Did you miss any time at work? I know how it is in this economy.

Echevarria: No that’s okay. I’ll get paid well for the photos I took. You too have a family to support. No hard feelings?

Tyson: No, man! Everything’s cool.

That would be life in a perfect world.
 

Photo taken at the hospital with gauze covering any and all evidence of the injuries sustained earlieir on Wednesday around 4:20 p.m.

You can forget the cure-all of a perfect world. We live in a dysfunctional society that needs to have everything settled in court. The above would be too simple, too easy. Instead Mr. Echevarria's representation is likely writing a draft as you read this: Mr. Tyson, we will see you in court.

Whichever party is at fault in this altercation must be whacky. Don’t they know there are surveillance cameras everywhere at the airport? It just may come down to the tale of the tape.

On Friday, the publicist for Mike Tyson, Tammy Brook, fired off a few salvos for the former boxing champ's side stating Tyson was merely defending his wife and 10-month-old child after an altercation with an overaggressive photographer at LAX on Wednesday. "Mike acted in self-defense as a father protecting his child.”

In other words, Ms. Brook would have us believe: You just don’t know how often this occurs…10-month-old toddlers being attacked at the LAX airport.

Videographer Tony Echevarria, 50, said in one video interview posted on TMZ.com that he "wasn't aggressive, I was shooting from a distance, and I was respectful." He indicated that his videotape should back up his story.

Another published report said Echevarria was hit once. A second report noted he was hit four times. And a third report said Echevarria wasn’t sure how many times he was hit. "When you're getting hit by Mike Tyson,” said Echevarria, “it's the worst thing in the world you can imagine. He grabbed me and threw at least four punches that I know of. When blood is gushing, you lose count."
 
Wow, it sounds like Echevarria went a full round with Tyson. Mike, who is currently serving a three-probation term from a drug bust in Arizona, has to be worried, because if convicted of this assault and battery, he might be going back to prison. It remains to be seen if the airport incident will affect his probation.

Echevarria told celebrity gossip website TMZ that his video camera was destroyed when Tyson smashed it to the ground. That of course would not affect the memory card inside. The Los Angeles police seized the video and camera as evidence.

Bottom line, it sounds like the Tyson family needs more space. This latest fiasco at LAX is just one more in a long list of events that have been pushing the former World Champion over the edge. It’s now gotten so bad it kind of reminds you of those idiots who go to the zoo and temp fate by poking a long stick into the body of the king of beasts while he’s napping. ‘Come on big fellow show me what you got! Get vicious!’

What do these photographers expect to happen when they are continually smothering celebrities and their families? From Roger Maris to Princess Diana, we have so many examples of photo-journalist stepping over the line.

The majority of celebrities just want to be left alone and the video and photos taken by the paparazzi from afar with their telephoto lens are the most egregious exploitation ever and certainly an infringement on one’s right to privacy.