Woman Backs Jim Brown Denial of Rape Accusation

A woman told officials that former football great Jim Brown, who was booked last month on suspicion of rape, did not sexually assault a teacher who visited his Hollywood Hills home, a prosecutor said Friday.

At a news conference earlier this month, Brown, 49, said the woman had witnessed the Feb. 19 incident and would back his story that he was only breaking up a fight between his companion, Carol Moses, and the alleged victim. Brown has denied the rape allegations.

“We’ve never had a complete statement from Mr. Brown, but (the woman’s account) is not consistent with the victim’s statement,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Sandy Buttitta said.

Buttitta said the woman supported Brown’s version that there were two other men--purported executives of Motown Records--in Brown’s home at the time of the alleged rape.

Deadline Set

The prosecutor said she has given Brown’s attorney, Johnnie Cochran, until Monday to provide the district attorney’s office with the names of the men who Brown says support his version of events.

Buttitta said if Cochran fails to give prosecutors names of the two men, prosecutors will then decide whether to proceed with filing charges.

She said she would also have to consider evidence in the case from the county grand jury, which heard several hours of testimony earlier this week.

“We are very frustrated at this point at not being able to tell you we have made a decision,” Buttitta told reporters. “We just want to be able to give him (Brown) every opportunity to provide us with whatever relevant information he has.”

Football Star

Brown and Moses were arrested Feb. 20 by Los Angeles police, after the alleged victim complained to officers that the two had sexually assaulted her after the ex-football star beat her up.

Brown, a former fullback for the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns, launched an acting career after his playing days that included adventure films such as “The Dirty Dozen” and “Ice Station Zebra.”