I'm not convicting Perk of anything. I just think that this idea that Perkins is completely opposite off the court compared to the guy we see on the court might be a bit of a media creation. I'm not saying he is a criminal or a thug, only that chances are he also isn't the lamb off the court that some of you seem to think he is. He has shown a mean streak on the court and that is something most people cannot turn on and off by putting on a uniform.
Look through the posts here. Almost everyone is simply assuming that Perkins is guilty. And I think you are exaggerating the Perkins-is-a-Lamb view. I've not seen that, that I recall. What I've seen is acknowledgement that he is a complex person whose on-court persona is a bit different from how he behaves in everyday life. I think that can be said about nearly all performers. Their everyday personality is not the same as their performance persona. It's more different for different people, or different in different ways. But an athlete is a performer. Did anyone seriously think that Perkins goes around in everyday life with a perpetual scowl on his face, getting in everyone's face? Maybe he does. But I doubt it. Most likely his on-court persona is an exaggeration of his actual personality. Like I said, he's undoubtedly complex, like most people are.
One thing seems clear: that Perkins had a long, painful and unsettled weekend, with a lot of drinking and poor control over what was going on. I don't doubt that this reflects his turmoil over what has been a long and unsettling year for him. I think we can actually afford, as fans who presumably are also human beings, to have a bit of compassion for him, no?
But as regards his arrest, I think both his story and the cops' story seem a bit hole-y at this point. Perkins says that he went to the bar to demand a refund. Ok. That could be true. But, of course, 4 in the morning is not really an ideal time to discuss such business matters. But the cops seem to be claiming that Perkins was fighting everyone, including the cops. That seems an exaggeration, doesn't it? If Perkins was really trying to fight people, there would be some badly hurt people in the hospital, wouldn't there? Let's get a little real - you could make two ordinary bouncers out of Perkins. And what's this about him resisting arrest, fighting the cops? Seriously? Who gets away with fighting cops, that isn't mafia connected, politically connected (same thing, of course), or at least a billionaire? If Perkins did any part of what the cops are saying he did, he'd be facing a lot more than a misdemeanor.
What looks most likely to me is that the actual truth is somewhere in between what Perkins says and what the cops say. Isn't that often where the truth lies? Probably Perkins was behaving in an aggressive and intimidating manner, probably because he was drunk, and probably the cops made it out to be a lot more than that. The bottom line, if you ask me, is that it sounds like Perkins needs some counseling and needs to quit drinking, if he's a drinker.
What I see here is that old classic - the Cry For Help. I hope that the justice system where all this happened is enlightened enough to see that.