A local man has been charged with disorderly conduct, among other things, after throwing a catfish on the ice at Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Nashville Predators + Catfish?

There was nothing fishy about Monday night’s Nashville Predators’ Game game against the Penguins.

A local man has been charged with disorderly conduct, among other things, after throwing a catfish on the ice at Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Predators fans, Nashville stars, and City Council members have joined together to support Jacob Waddell and the charges he is facing. One of which, disorderly conduct, is defined under Pennsylvania law in 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503 as:

(a) A person is guilty of disorderly conduct if, with intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof, he:

(1) engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior;
(2) makes unreasonable noise;
(3) uses obscene language, or makes an obscene gesture; or
(4) creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose of the actor.

#STANDWITHUS

Let’s break this down for a minute.

Mr. Waddell violated no part of the statute because:

1. There was no violent or threatening of violence to any person or the catfish;

1. The catfish was silent as it soared through the air making no unreasonable noise;

1. Mr. Waddell used no obscene gesture or language as he threw the fish gloriously through the air;.

1. There was clearly a legitimate purpose in the actions taken by Mr. Waddell being to rally the Preds! And it worked! see the Ryan Ellis goal immediately thereafter.

For the foregoing reasons, we believe the charges should be dropped. Mr. Waddell brought tradition into the rink at PPG Paints Arena; if the Penguins weren’t ready to play the Predators, they should have stayed at home.

#StandWithUS