The headlines don’t stop at the white line. Sometimes, they roll up the tunnel, out the locker room and all the way into the courtroom. Here are the week’s biggest legal stories in sports.
The NFL
Hernandez trial quizzes potential jurors
Jury selection in the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has begun in Fall River, Massachusetts. The 1,055 potential jurors were asked in a questionnaire about tattoos, race and the NFL, as well as whether they owned guns or had recently attended Pats games. The selection process is set to drag into next week. The trial, once underway, should last around 10 weeks. Fox Sports has the story.
Ray Rice, Ravens reach pay settlement
The Baltimore Ravens and their former running back Ray Rice reached a back pay settlement to avoid heading to the courts on Thursday. Rice was seeking $3.5 million from the team — the amount he would have earned if he had played the 15 weeks after serving his initial two-game suspension for the now-infamous domestic violence incident. NFL officials wouldn’t confirm the settlement. This puts an end to litigation between Rice and the Ravens. ESPN has the story.
Indy linebacker charged with rape, battery
Indianapolis Colts linebacker Josh McNary was charged with one count of rape, one count of battery resulting in bodily injury and one count of criminal confinement this week. McNary was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List on Thursday, meaning he would not be eligible to practice or attend games, but would continue to be paid as his court case progresses. Bleacher Report has the story.
Coaching carousel keeps on keeping on
Wheee! Round and round and round we go! John Fox is out in Denver, Rex Ryan is in at Buffalo, while Jack Del Rio gets a shot at the top job in Oakland. The Monday Morning Quarterback has the story.
The NBA
Ex-Sonic arrested for armed robbery
Former Sonic and Thunder center Robert Swift was arrested on January 6 for allegedly attempting to rob a home in Gold Bar, Washington. The admitted heroin addict told police he was high at the time of the robbery. KIRO has the story.
Meanwhile, down in Florida …
A-Rod back in court, sued for real estate deals
Prolific slugger and equally prolific court attendee Alex Rodriguez is facing a civil lawsuit brought against him by his former brother-in-law. Constantin Scurtis, the brother of A-Rod’s ex-wife Cynthia, says the Bronx Bomber screwed him out of profits in a 2003 Miami real estate deal. The Miami New Times has the story.
And those other sports
Charges dropped against Hope Solo
Domestic violence charges against U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team goalie Hope Solo have been dropped. The 32-year-old was charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault after a scuffle at a family party last June. ESPN has the story.
STORY OF THE WEEK: NASCAR driver, accused of abuse, says ex-girlfriend is trained assassin
Buckle up — this gets complicated. In November, Patricia Driscoll, ex-girlfriend of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, accused him of domestic violence and filed for a protection order. In a hearing into the matter this week, Busch not only denied the claims, but also stated that Driscoll is a paid assassin and has conducted missions across Central and South America as well as Africa.
Busch provided examples of Driscoll returning home from work trips with bruises, and pointed to her previous work history as evidence of her capacity to look after herself in moments of potential physical threat. Driscoll dismissed the allegations as an attempt to discredit her. Delaware Online has the story.
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