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Wednesday, January 10, 2001
Prosecutors expect charge to be dropped
Associated Press
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PHOENIX -- Prosecutors have asked for dismissal of a
misdemeanor intimidation charge against Phoenix Suns star Penny
Hardaway.
In a statement late Wednesday, Paradise Valley town attorney
Andrew Miller cited a lack of cooperation from Latarsha McCray, the
mother of Hardaway's 8-year-old daughter.
McCray had filed the complaint that had resulted in the charge.
"At this time, our office is unable to proceed with this matter
based on the current level of cooperation we are receiving from Ms.
McCray and our inability to secure her attendance at trial,"
Miller said.
Miller said McCray "sought assurances from our office as to the
penalties faced by Anfernee Hardaway, which we were not willing to
do."
Hardaway's spokesman Karl Gentles issued a statement Wednesday
night saying the player is pleased with the decision not to pursue
the charge.
"It's over and it is behind him," Gentles said. "We felt that
this case should not have proceeded this far from the very
beginning, and Mr. Hardaway had maintained all along that he did
nothing wrong and did not intimidate anybody.
"This was the result of a misunderstanding between he and
Latarsha. In fact, Latarsha has said from the very beginning that
she did not want to prosecute this case."
Gentles said Hardaway "is looking forward to building a
stronger relationship with his daughter and contributing to the
success of the Phoenix Suns."
In a complaint filed Nov. 20, McCray, who had flown from Memphis
to discuss the couple's daughter, told police she went outside
intending to sleep in his car outside Hardaway's house in the
affluent Phoenix suburb after an argument.
McCray told authorities Hardaway came outside with a handgun at
his side and yelled at her to go back into the house. He then
followed her inside making "clicking" noises with the gun, she
said.
McCray told police that although Hardaway didn't point the
handgun at her or verbally threaten her, she felt intimidated.
The decision to charge Hardaway was made Dec. 14, and he
immediately claimed his innocence.
Hardaway has said that he hasn't had a relationship with McCray
for eight years, and that the argument concerned his desire to
develop a relationship with his daughter.
Hardaway had missed the first 31 games of the season while
recovering from knee surgery. He made his first appearance in
Phoenix's 20-point homecourt loss to Minnesota on Sunday.
After the game, he said there was a good chance the charge would
be dismissed.
"I've always said from the beginning that I was innocent and I
had no intentions of intimidating anybody with a weapon at all,"
Hardaway said at the time. "It was a misunderstanding."
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