CriminalSports

CriminalSports
The home of sports prime time crime

Tuesday, September 24, 2002

GRIEVANCE: Pat Meares, Pittsburgh Pirates

PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Pat Meares has filed a grievance against the Pirates with the Major League Baseball Players Association, contending that he is healthy enough to play. The Pirates have denied his claim, saying his injured left hand impairs his ability to play at the major-league level. Under union procedures, the next step is for both parties to sit down at an informal session and present their sides, which could result in a settlement. If the sides do not agree, the case will be heard by an impartial arbiter.

8:56:34 PM

LITIGATION: Judge Re-opens Raiders vs. NFL

LOS ANGELES -- Reuters reports the largest U.S. city without a major-league football team now may be years away from getting one while the NFL and the Oakland Raiders skirmish in court over who "owns" the Los Angeles market. A Superior Court judge in Los Angeles on Monday granted the Raiders a new trial in their $1.2 billion lawsuit against the National Football League after determining there were possible instances of misconduct by members of the Los Angeles jury that voted 9-3 in the NFL's favor last year.

The Raiders' lawyer cited two instances of alleged juror misconduct: when a juror told five other panelists that he hated the Raiders and Davis and would never find in their favor, and when a juror who was an attorney posted her own version of jury instructions in the jury room.

The team is seeking $1.2 billion in damages because "that is the amount they lost because they had to go back to Oakland, and the only reason they went to Oakland was because they couldn't make a deal in L.A.," the lawyer said.  The Raiders also are locked in a legal battle with the city of Oakland, which sued the team in 1997 claiming the team had interfered with naming rights to Network Associates Coliseum.

The team counter-sued for $1 billion, contending the team agreed to come to Oakland only after the city falsely claimed to have sold out the stadium in advance.

8:41:04 PM

LITIGATION: Hingis' $40 Million Lawsuit Dismissed
NEW YORK -- Associated Press reports a Manhattan judge has dismissed a $40 million lawsuit that Swiss tennis star Martina Hingis filed against an Italian sportswear maker whose shoes allegedly injured her feet. State Supreme Court Justice Sherry Klein Heitler ruled that New York is the wrong place to try the case since a similar lawsuit by Hingis against the company, Sergio Tacchini, is pending in Milan, Italy. During the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament in New York City in September 1998, Hingis said, she suffered a severe foot injury because Tacchini had outfitted her with "defective" shoes, "unsuitable for competition." She said the injury hurt her career.

3:34:38 PM

LITIGATION: German Boxer Awarded $30 Million
NEW YORK -- Associated Press reports a German boxer won a $30 million judgment against the World Boxing Council when a Manhattan jury agreed that he was cheated out of his claim to the light-heavyweight championship. Graciano Rocchigiani, 38, was awarded the decision Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court, said his lawyer, Richard Dolan. The jury deliberated less than five hours before awarding the veteran boxer $7.8 million in compensatory damages and another $20 million in punitive damages. With interest, the total will exceed $30 million, Dolan said.

3:28:22 PM

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.

3:22:27 PM

STILL IN JAIL: Kansas City Hooligans
CHICAGO -- Associated Press reports the teenager who ran on the field with his father during a game and attacked Kansas City Royals coach Tom Gamboa will spend at least two more weeks in custody. The teenager is charged with aggravated battery, a felony. If he is convicted, the boy's sentence could range from probation to five years in a youth detention center. The 15-year-old boy's lawyer was granted a request Tuesday for more time to gather evidence. A trial date has not been set.
On Saturday, the teenager's father � 34-year-old William Ligue Jr. � was held on $200,000 bail. Ligue faces the same felony charge as his son and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison if convicted.

3:18:24 PM