June 25, 2001--
Here is the latest on the DeShawn Stevenson saga in California.
Sports Specialist Tom Kirkland spoke with Roger Litman, DeShawn's attorney, and he says Stevenson will plead "not-guilty" on a statutory rape
charge.
Stevenson will enter that plea at an arraignment scheduled for July 6.
Litman says that's the plea in 99.9 percent of these cases at the arraignment, because the defense has yet to have a chance to see any of the evidence.
Litman also says he hasn't heard the taped telephone conversation referred to in the police report, where Stevenson allegedly admits to the 14-year-old girl's mother that he had sex with her and provided alcohol.
Litman then says, "Sometimes tapes provide damaging information, but sometimes they're so vague that it doesn't amount to much."
Litman also says Stevenson will not be in court for Monday's hearing on the assault charge from the brawl on NBA draft night last year, and that he's expecting Stevenson to get a continuance because the attorney for his co-defendant on the assault charge is having minor surgery.
