Battie pleads guilty--sort of.

[peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

The way I'm reading this is, he pleaded no contest and got put on probation.
Any lawyers on the list?


BOSTON -- Tony Battie of the Boston Celtics pleaded Tuesday to "sufficient
facts" in a case in
                          which he was accused of dragging a police officer
behind his car.

                          While not an admission of guilt, the plea
acknowledges the case would have been
                          made against him, had it moved forward, according to
Jim Borghesani,
                          spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney's office.

                          Boston municipal court judge Mark Summerville
continued the case without a
                          finding for a year. If Battie is arrested during
that time, the case against him can be
                          reopened, Borghesani said.

                          Battie, 23, was arrested during the early morning
hours of April 17 in front of the
                          Cosmopolitan Club near the FleetCenter.

                          Police said Battie refused to identify himself or
move his car, despite several requests by an
                          officer. When the officer tried to arrest him,
Battie allegedly drove off while the officer's arm was
                          caught in the driver's window, police said.

                          Battie stopped the car only after the officer drew
his gun, police said.

                          A call to Battie's lawyer, Robert Keefe, was not
immediately returned.