Raja Jackson pleads not guilty to charges in Syko Stu attack
On Thursday, Raja Jackson made an appearance in court as he faces two charges related to his August attack on indie wrestler Syko Stu.
Jackson entered a not guilty plea in response to the charges, one of which is a felony that could see him serve up to seven years in jail if convicted. He is facing one count of felony battery and one count of misdemeanor battery.
The incident happened at a show for indie promotion KnokX Pro in Los Angeles on August 23. What was originally supposed to be a planned spot turned into a legitimate attack with Jackson repeatedly punching Stu in the head, bloodying him, and sending him to the hospital. Stu had struck Jackson in the head with a beer can backstage prior to the attack.
When approached by TMZ at today’s court date in LA, Jackson did not offer any comment. His next court appearance is scheduled for November.
“Wearing a black shirt, black pants and black tie … Raja stared ahead as he strolled into the building flanked by men who appeared to be his lawyers,” TMZ wrote. “Prosecutors say he’s facing up to seven years behind bars if convicted on the felony count, and up to six more months if convicted on the misdemeanor.”
Jackson — the son of former UFC great Quinton “Rampage” Jackson — was a streamer on Kick before the platform banned his account over this incident.
At the end of August, Stu (Stuart Smith) was released from the hospital. The United States Army veteran has a long road ahead in his recovery journey, but a GoFundMe to help assist him has raised more than $220,000.
The charges against Jackson include a sentencing enhancement due to prosecutors claiming that he caused “great bodily injury” to Stu.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.