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Thursday, December 14, 2000
Hardaway charged with misdemeanor threatening
Associated Press
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PHOENIX -- Prosecutors filed a criminal
charge Thursday against Phoenix Suns guard Penny Hardaway, who is
accused of threatening and intimidating a former girfriend with a
handgun last month.
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| Hardaway |
The Paradise Valley Town Attorney's Office reviewed police
reports on the Nov. 18 incident at Hardaway's home here and decided
to charge him with a misdemeanor.
Police investigated the incident as domestic violence because Hardaway and Latarsha McCray have an 8-year-old daughter. The two do not live together.
Prosecutors said the charge against Hardaway is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine if he's convicted.
"I have done absolutely nothing wrong," Hardaway said in a
statement. "There are two sides to this story and in this case,
the allegations surrounding my actions have been misrepresented. I
am confident that my name will be cleared once the facts are
carefully evaluated."
In a complaint filed Nov. 20, McCray said she and Hardaway had
been arguing and she had left the house to go sleep in a vehicle
outside. She said he came outside and yelled at her while carrying
a gun at his side.
Hardaway had flown McCray in from Memphis, Tenn., in an attempt
to reconcile their relationship.
McCray told police that although Hardaway did not verbally
threaten her, she felt intimidated because he was armed.
"The statements of Ms. McCray were persuasive, indicating that
she did feel in fear due to the display of the gun," said Paradise
Valley Town Attorney Andrew Miller on his decision to file a charge
in the case.
Hardaway has yet to play this season while recovering surgery on
his left knee in May.
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| Hardaway |
The misdemeanor charge will be filed Thursday, Paradise Valley
city attorney Andrew Miller said.
Hardaway is accused of intimidating Latasha McCray outside his
home Nov. 18, according to a complaint filed by the woman.
Hardaway issued a statement denying the charge.
"I have done absolutely nothing wrong," Hardaway said. "There
are two sides to this story and in this case, the allegations
surrounding my actions have been misrepresented. I am confident
that my name will be cleared once the facts are carefully
evaluated."
Moments before the Suns played San Antonio Wednesday night,
Hardaway told reporters he would fight the charge.
"I'm sure once all the facts come out, my name will be cleared
in this situation," he said. "I'm sorry for the embarrassment
that this has caused the Suns organization and my family. I thank
everybody for supporting me who's been supporting."
Hardaway did not answer any questions from reporters, however.
In a complaint filed Nov. 20, McCray said she and Hardaway had been arguing and she had left the house to go sleep in a vehicle outside. She said he came outside and yelled at her while carrying a gun at his side.
"It's just a review of the totality of the facts," Miller said of his decision to file the charge. "The statements of Ms. McCray were persuasive, indicating that she did feel in fear due to the display of the gun."
Hardaway had flown McCray in from Memphis, Tenn., in an attempt to reconcile their relationship. The two have an 8-year-old daughter.
Hardaway said in the statement distributed before the Suns' game
against San Antonio on Wednesday night that he was "very disappointed
by the decision by the Paradise Valley city attorney to move ahead with this case."
"I am committed to bringing this situation to a speedy and
appropriate resolution," he said.
Hardaway has yet to play this season while recovering from a
knee injury.
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