| | Associated Press
CLEVELAND -- Seattle SuperSonics forward Ruben Patterson and
a friend were charged with felonious assault in the beating of a
man outside a nightclub.
A Cuyahoga County grand jury also indicted Melvin Scott, 22, of
Cleveland, on Tuesday. Conviction on the felonious assault charge
carries a sentence of two to eight years in prison.
Kevin Lewis told police that Patterson was among a group of men
who attacked him and broke his jaw on June 11 outside a nightclub
in the Flats, the city's downtown entertainment district. Lewis
said the men thought he scratched Patterson's car.
Scott said he was outside the club that night, but denied any
role in the assault.
"I walked away," Scott said. "I saw the guy by Ruben's car.
Ruben was hot. He went for the guy and I tried to hold him back.
But (Ruben) pushed me out of the way."
A spokesman for the SuperSonics said Wednesday team officials
will not comment until after they speak with Patterson and learn
more about the charges.
Patterson's attorney, Dan Fagan of Los Angeles, did not return
phone calls seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.
Patterson was a 1998 second-round draft pick by the Los Angeles
Lakers. He signed as a free agent with Seattle before the start of
the 1999 season. | |
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