CriminalSports: CriminalSports: NBA

Mon, 18 Nov 2002 21:37:28 GMT

Nov. 9-15, 2002

NBA

Chris Webber's lawyer filed a motion in federal court Wednesday asking a judge to throw out federal charges the player lied to a grand jury about his involvement with former Michigan booster Ed Martin.

Williams Wants Indictment Tossed

Defense lawyers described a distraught Jayson Williams calling for help and diving toward a limousine driver he accidentally shot to counter prosecutors' portrayal of the former basketball player cursing the other man and showing off with a shotgun.

Bulls' Fizer Pleads Innocent to Weapons Charge

Samake Suspended for Steroids Violation

Thu, 24 Oct 2002 20:23:53 GMT

LITIGATION: Sprewell v. New York Post

NEW YORK -- Associated Press reports Latrell Sprewell is suing the New York Post for $40 million over stories concerning how the eccentric forward broke his hand. Two weeks ago, the Knicks fined Sprewell $250,000 for failing to inform the team that he broke his right pinky on September 20, two weeks before the start of training camp. The Post, citing two anonymous sources, reported October 4 that Sprewell was injured when he hit a wall with his hand while throwing a punch. The newspaper said the punch was thrown at a man on Sprewell's yacht after the man's girlfriend vomited.

Thu, 24 Oct 2002 20:12:26 GMT

LITIGATION: MJ Sues Woman for Alleged Extortion

CHICAGO -- Associated Press reports Michael Jordan filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a woman he contends is trying to extort $5 million from him to keep quiet about their relationship more than 10 years ago. Jordan acknowledged in the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court that he paid the woman $250,000 "under threat of publicly exposing that relationship."

Jordan, who plays for the Washington Wizards but spent most of his career with the Chicago Bulls, never agreed to pay any amount above the original $250,000, the lawsuit says. The woman attempted to extort the additional money from Jordan through her attorneys, according to the lawsuit. Her lawyers were not named in the paperwork.

Tue, 15 Oct 2002 21:12:10 GMT

CONVICTION: Derrick Coleman, Philadelphia 76ers

New York, NY -- Sports Network reports Philadelphia 76ers forward Derrick Coleman was suspended for one game without pay by the NBA for pleading no contest to driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Coleman was stopped for speeding on July 27 in Farmington Hills and taken into custody after refusing a breathalyzer test. Later tests showed that he had a blood alcohol level of 0.13 percent. The legal limit in Michigan is 0.10.

Mon, 14 Oct 2002 22:21:08 GMT

SUSPENDED: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers

CLEVELAND -- Associated Press reports Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was suspended by the NBA for one game on Monday after being arrested last month for drunken driving. Ilgauskas will be suspended without pay and will miss the regular-season opener on Oct. 29 in Sacramento, the league said. Last week, the 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas pleaded no contest to drunken driving and was sentenced to one year's probation. A 30-day jail sentence was suspended and Ilgauskas was fined $1,000.

The 27-year-old Ilgauskas, whose career has been slowed by foot injuries, was stopped in suburban Cleveland on Sept. 15 for erratic driving. He failed field sobriety tests, and his blood-alcohol level was 0.167 -- above Ohio's legal limit of 0.10.

Mon, 14 Oct 2002 22:10:22 GMT

CHARGED: Marcus Fizer, Chicago Bulls

CHICAGO -- Associated Press reports Chicago Bulls forward Marcus Fizer was charged with having a loaded gun in his car and driving with a suspended license early Sunday morning. Illinois State Police Sgt. Wayne Winterberg said Fizer was pulled over just after 2 a.m. for having tinted windows on his sport-utility vehicle. Police then found Fizer was driving with a suspended license. While preparing to tow his car, police searched it and found a .40-caliber gun, Winterberg said.

Thu, 03 Oct 2002 21:16:34 GMT

BISON DELE UPDATE: Dele Shot With Own Handgun

NEW YORK -- ESPN reports Bison Dele's girlfriend, Serena Karlan, was knocked to the deck and killed instantly while breaking up a fight between Dele and his brother, Miles Dabord, as the three and a ship's captain sailed near Tahiti in early July. That's the story Erica Wiese, Dabord's former girlfriend, told ESPN The Magazine's Tim Keown and the Los Angeles Times, based on her conversations with Dabord. The stories are in the Oct. 14 issue of ESPN The Magazine and Thursday's Los Angeles Times.

Dele then killed the captain, Bertrand Saldo, with a wrench, because Saldo wanted to report Karlan's death to authorities. As the fight continued, Dabord killed Dele in self-defense, using Dele's own handgun. And Dabord weighted the bodies and dumped them overboard from the Hakuna Matata, Dele's boat.

Thu, 03 Oct 2002 20:55:24 GMT

KURT THOMAS UPDATE: Charges Don't Bother Him At All

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Associated Press reports New York Kincks Kurt Thomas says his arrest on domestic violence "doesn't bother me at all." On his way to the team's practice facility for media day Monday, Thomas received a call from Connecticut police asking him to return. He was arrested upon his arrival, posted $1,000 bail and then was arraigned on charges of third-degree assault and risking injury to a minor. After leaving court, Thomas caught a flight to Charleston in time to make it to Tuesday night's practice.

Thomas is under court order to stay away from his wife, Amber, and the couple's home. Lawyers said they are getting a divorce after about two years of marriage.

"The thing that is going to be tough for me is not being able to see my (2-year-old) kid. Other than that, it doesn't bother me at all," said Thomas, a self-described laid-back Texan. "No one wants to go through something like this, especially when it's in the public eye. But I have to take that with my profession and deal with it."

Mon, 30 Sep 2002 22:30:13 GMT

ARRESTED: Kurt Thomas, New York Knicks

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Associated Press reports New York Knicks player Kurt Thomas was arrested on charges of assaulting his wife, and he did not accompany the team to training camp Monday. Thomas was arrested at his home in Greenwich, Conn., for third-degree assault and risking injury to a minor. Bail was set at $1,000, police said. No other details were released.

Sun, 29 Sep 2002 04:05:33 GMT

UPDATE: Bison Dele, Former NBA

PAPEETE, Tahiti -- Associated Press reports police want to see documents left with a lawyer by Miles Dabord, the late brother of former NBA player Bison Dele and a key witness in Dele's disappearance. Dabord, 35, died Friday night in Chula Vista, Calif., where he was hospitalized Sept. 14. He was found in a coma after returning from the islands of French Polynesia, where he sailed with Dele and two others who have been missing since early July.

The FBI has learned that Dabord left behind papers to be opened after his death, an official involved in the French investigation said. Authorities believe the documents contain an account of what happened to his brother, said the official, who asked that his name not be used. Authorities in French Polynesia believe that Dele, his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, and their boat's skipper, Bertrand Saldo, were killed July 7 off a tiny, remote island in the South Pacific.

Thu, 26 Sep 2002 01:26:06 GMT

BISON DELE UPDATE: Sea Search Ends

PAPEETE, Tahiti -- Associated Press reports investigators have stopped searching for the bodies of former NBA player Bison Dele and two companions who disappeared at sea, and the case now is focused on interviewing witnesses and searching Dele's sailboat.

Dele, his girlfriend and a skipper were last seen July 8 near the tiny island of Maiao, west of Tahiti. Investigators in the French territory believe they were killed by Dele's older brother, Miles Dabord.

Authorities have little hope of hearing Dabord's version of events firsthand. He has been in a coma since being found on the California-Mexico border on Sept. 14. He is at a San Diego-area hospital.

Thu, 26 Sep 2002 01:23:13 GMT

ARBITRATION RULING: Players' Union vs. NBA

NEW YORK -- Associated Press reports an arbitrator handed the NBA a victory Wednesday that should help keep team payrolls down, ruling that the 29 owners can redistribute luxury tax and escrow funds any way they please. The players' union filed a grievance in August, arguing that the league's plan to withhold funds from high-spending teams amounted to circumvention of the collective bargaining agreement.

Tue, 24 Sep 2002 20:22:27 GMT

ARRAIGNED: Mayce Webber, Father of Chris Webber

DETROIT -- Associated Press reports the father of Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber was arraigned Tuesday on charges of lying to a grand jury about the player's dealings with a University of Michigan booster. An innocent plea was entered on behalf of Mayce Webber Jr., who was indicted Sept. 9 along with his son. Also indicted that day was Charlene Johnson, Chris Webber's aunt. A $10,000 bond was ordered for Mayce Webber, who did not speak in court on Tuesday. All three defendants face the same two charges -- lying to a grand jury and obstructing justice. The maximum penalty on each charge is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Mon, 23 Sep 2002 18:17:28 GMT

UPDATE: Bison Dele, Former NBA

PAPEETE, Tahiti -- Associated Press reports The brother of missing former NBA player Bison Dele reportedly is on life support, and FBI agents were wrapping up their investigation Sunday in Tahiti. The FBI arrested Dabord on suspicion of impersonating his younger brother while trying to buy $152,000 in gold in Phoenix.

Investigators in Tahiti believe Dabord killed Dele, Dele's girlfriend and the French captain on board Dele's sailboat. Dele, his girlfriend Serena Karlan and the skipper, Bertrand Saldo, haven't been seen since July 8. A team of FBI-led investigators found what they believe are bloodstains on the catamaran, which Dabord docked at a Tahitian port July 18 before departing the French territory.

Thu, 19 Sep 2002 00:50:28 GMT

UPDATE: Bison Dele, Former NBA

PAPEETE, Tahiti -- Associated Press reports prosecutors in Tahiti made the decision to open a murder investigation into the disappearance of former NBA player Bison Dele based on comments from the former girlfriend of Dele's older brother. The police official told the Los Angeles Times (link requires registration) that Erica Weise told the FBI that Dele's older brother, Miles Dabord, informed her in a telephone conversation of a struggle aboard Dele's boat, the Hakuna Matata, that resulted in the deaths of Dele, his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, and the boat's captain, Bertrand Saldo.

Dabord reportedly deflected blame from himself, claiming during the phone call that the fight was started by Dele, the Times reported.

Sibling Brothers, Blood Rivals (Denver Post)

Wed, 18 Sep 2002 22:16:47 GMT

CHARGED: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers

BAY VILLAGE, Ohio -- Associated Press reports Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. Ilgauskas, 27, was stopped at 3:59 a.m. Sunday for erratic driving in Bay Village, Ohio, and he failed field sobriety tests, police Lt. John Dixon said. Dixon said a Breathalyzer test showed that Ilgauskas, of Avon Lake, Ohio, had a blood-alcohol level in excess of 0.10, Ohio's legal limit. Ilgauskas was alone in the vehicle and cooperated with police.

Wed, 18 Sep 2002 22:05:10 GMT

CHARGED: Kimisha Hatfield, Girlfriend of Ron Artest, NBA

CARMEL, Ind. -- Associated Press reports Ron Artest's girlfriend was arrested and charged with hitting and scratching the Indiana Pacers forward. Kimisha Hatfield, 27, the mother of two of Artest's children, was arrested Sunday at the home where she was staying with Artest. Two months ago, Artest was charged in New York with two counts of harassment and one count of criminal contempt for allegedly leaving a threatening phone message for another woman. At the time, Artest was under court order not to bother that woman, the mother of another of his children.

Mon, 16 Sep 2002 18:30:42 GMT

SENTENCED: Sly Williams, Former NBA

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Associated Press reports former NBA first round pick Sylvester "Sly" Williams was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for attacking a woman twice and holding her captive for nearly a day. Williams, 44, pleaded guilty to the kidnapping charge last month in connection with an attack last September. He was accused of tying up a woman, threatening her with a knife and holding her against her will for nearly 24 hours, prosecutors said.

Mon, 16 Sep 2002 18:28:09 GMT

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED: Miles Dabord, Bison Dele's Brother

PAPEETE, Tahiti -- Associated Press reports FBI agents met with prosecutors Sunday to discuss the investigation into the disappearance of former NBA player Bison Dele. The 33-year-old Dele, also known as Brian Williams, hasn't been seen since July 8, along with his girlfriend Serena Karlan and the boat's captain, Bertrand Saldo. The three were planning to sail from Tahiti, in the South Pacific, north to Honolulu.

The FBI issued an arrest warrant for Dele's brother, Miles Dabord, also known as Kevin Williams, on Friday. Dabord, 35, was being sought on an unlawful flight warrant issued by the FBI bureau in Phoenix, where he is suspected of trying to steal his brother's identity.

Police in Phoenix detained Dabord on Sept. 5 after he allegedly said he was Brian Williams and signed receipts with his brother's former name while trying to buy $152,000 in gold. He showed his younger brother's passport as identification before he was taken into custody by police, Black said. He then was released without being arrested.

Fri, 13 Sep 2002 16:25:12 GMT

Last Two Counts Against Iverson Dropped

PHILADELPHIA -- Associated Press reports the last two charges will be dropped against Allen Iverson, who lauded the district attorney for resisting the "media frenzy that accompanied these false accusations." The NBA star had been accused of bursting into an apartment with a gun and threatening two men while looking for his wife. Twelve other counts, including four felonies, were dismissed by a judge July 29 after Iverson's two accusers gave conflicting testimony, including whether the Philadelphia 76ers' guard was carrying a gun.

Thu, 12 Sep 2002 03:45:39 GMT

NOT GUILTY PLEA: Chris Webber, Sacramento Kings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Associated Press reports Chris Webber, the $123 million star of the Sacramento Kings, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of lying to a grand jury and obstructing justice. Webber spoke only once at Wednesday's hearing, saying "yes'' when U.S. Magistrate Virginia Morgan asked if he understood the charges against him. His attorney, Steven Fishman of Detroit, told Morgan his client was pleading not guilty.

Morgan released Webber on a $10,000 unsecured bond and scheduled a pretrial conference for Sept. 26.

Webber is accused of interfering with the grand jury's investigation of former University of Michigan booster Ed Martin, a retired autoworker and convicted bookmaker who claims he lent Webber $280,000 while the basketball standout was in high school and at Michigan.

Thu, 12 Sep 2002 03:28:54 GMT

FBI PROBE: Bison Dele, Former NBA

PHOENIX -- Associated Press reports the FBI has launched an investigation into the disappearance of former Detroit Pistons center Bison Dele, formerly known as Brian Williams, and his girlfriend during a boating trip in the Pacific Ocean. Dele, girlfriend Serena Karlan and boat captain Bertrand Saldo have been missing for two months, said Andrew Black, spokesman for the FBI's San Francisco office.

Authorities are in the process of locating Williams' older brother Kevin, also known as Miles Dabord, who lives in the San Francisco area. Kevin Williams was questioned by Phoenix police last week in an identity theft investigation, said Karlan's stepfather, Scott Ohlgren. Authorities would not identify the man questioned in the investigation but said he claimed to be Brian Williams.

Tue, 10 Sep 2002 17:38:11 GMT

MISSING: Bison Dele, Former NBA

PHOENIX -- Associated Press reports former Detroit Pistons center Bison Dele and his girlfriend were reported missing during a boating trip in the Pacific Ocean. Relatives last heard from Dele, girlfriend Serena Karlan and three members of Dele's boat crew two months ago, said Karlan's stepfather, Scott Ohlgren of Boulder, Colo.

Dele's boat was scheduled to sail from Moorea, Tahiti, to Honolulu and was last reported as being seen near Tahiti, Ohlgren said. Dele, formerly known as Brian Williams, played on the Chicago Bulls' championship team in 1996-97. He later signed with the Pistons, where he played for two seasons before retiring. He played at Arizona in 1990 and 1991.

Tue, 10 Sep 2002 17:32:08 GMT

DENIAL: Chris Webber, Sacramento Kings

DETROIT -- "I didn't lie," Sacramento Kings star Chris Webber told USA Today in a story published Tuesday. "The truth always comes out. What this case is about is a 70-year-old man dressed in hip-hop clothes who befriended kids and said he loved kids, and I believed him."

Webber was indicted Monday on charges he lied to a grand jury about his dealings with University of Michigan booster Ed Martin, who admits lending the NBA star $280,000 while he was still an amateur.

"I didn't know he saw my potential before I saw it. Threats were made. Those threats have come to reality. I believe this is extortion. After the trial, and I am vindicated, this case will be bigger than me lying to the grand jury, which I did not do," Webber said.

Martin pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to launder money, admitting he took gambling money, combined it with other funds and lent it to several players while they were still amateurs.

Mon, 09 Sep 2002 22:59:58 GMT

TRIAL DATE SET: Jayson Williams, Former NBA

FLEMINGTON, N.J. -- Associated Press reports a trial date of Feb. 18 was set Friday for former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams, who is accused of fatally shooting a limousine driver at his mansion and then trying to cover it up.