NEW YORK -- The lawyer for the woman accused of extortion by New York Mets pitcher Grant Roberts told Newsday the allegation is an attempt to shift attention from the team's marijuana use.

Roberts and agent Seth Levinson have said Jodi Turner tried to extort money from Roberts before releasing a 1998 picture that appeared in Newsday last week showing the pitcher smoking marijuana. The picture illustrated an article saying that at least seven Mets were suspected of smoking marijuana this season.

"She denies any extortion attempt and she views these allegations as an attempt to divert everybody's attention from the issue of improper marijuana use by the New York Mets,'' lawyer Stephen Scaring told the newspaper.

"It's quite surprising that the investigation is focused on her and not the issue of marijuana possession or use, but she intends to defend herself and she's satisfied the district attorney will find no evidence to support this allegation.''

The Queens district attorney's office is investigating the extortion claim, and plans to speak soon with Roberts and Turner.

Turner could face possible charges of grand larceny and coercion, carrying a jail term of up to seven years.