Webber pleads guilty to lesser charge to avoid prison time

[Kim Malo <kimmalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Don't think anyone has posted this yet:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-webbertrial&prov=ap&type=lgns
Webber pleads guilty to criminal contempt, expected to avoid prison

By DAVID RUNK, Associated Press Writer
July 14, 2003
DETROIT (AP) -- On the eve of his federal perjury trial, Sacramento Kings 
forward Chris Webber pleaded guilty Monday to a lesser charge of criminal 
contempt in a deal that is expected to allow him to avoid prison time.

Webber had been charged with lying to a grand jury about money authorities 
say he received from former Michigan basketball booster Ed Martin. He could 
have faced up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

During Monday's hearing, the former Michigan player admitted that in 1994 
he gave Martin about $38,000 in cash as repayment for past expenditures the 
former booster made on his behalf.

``I'm relieved that it is in the process of being over,'' Webber said after 
the hearing.

In the agreement with prosecutors, Webber will face a fine. U.S. District 
Judge Nancy Edmunds will decide whether the criminal contempt charge is a 
felony or a misdemeanor. Sentencing was set for Sept. 16.

A perjury charge against the player's father, Mayce Webber Jr., is expected 
to be dropped Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino said. The 
father's attorney declined to comment.

Jury selection in Chris Webber's trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. 
He left the courtroom Monday without talking to reporters.

Martin, who died Feb. 14 at age 69, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy 
to launder money. He admitted he took gambling money, combined it with 
other funds and lent it to several players while they were in school.

The retired autoworker said he lent $616,000 to Webber and three other 
Wolverines players -- Maurice Taylor, Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock -- 
while they were amateurs. Martin said he gave Webber and his family 
$280,000 from 1988-93, a period extending from his freshman year in high 
school through his sophomore season at Michigan.

Because of NCAA violations connected to the case, Michigan was banned from 
postseason play in 2003 and '04, and forfeited 112 regular-season and 
tournament victories from five seasons, plus its victory in the 1992 NCAA 
semifinal.

Webber, who is in the second year of a 7-year, $123-million contract with 
the Kings, has denied taking anything of significant value from Martin. 
During his 2000 appearance before the grand jury investigating Martin's 
dealings, Webber said he took money from Martin in high school, but could 
not remember if he took money in college.

Martin's death left federal prosecutors without the only person who could 
provide crucial information. The absence of the booster's testimony 
resulted in the charges against Webber's aunt being thrown out in May. An 
obstruction of justice charge against Webber also was dismissed in June.

The prosecution was dealt another blow last week when the judge ruled they 
could not present key testimony and evidence, including notes kept by 
Martin that appeared to indicate that Webber borrowed money from him while 
playing in high school and college.

Prosecutors also would have been prohibited from calling other players to 
testify about amounts they said they received from Martin.


Updated on Monday, Jul 14, 2003 4:46