Judge Rules Against Rape Trial for Uribe

A judge ruled today during a pretrial hearing that there was insufficient evidence to take San Francisco Giants shortstop Jose Uribe to trial on a rape charge.

In San Francisco, the Giants announced that Uribe is now free to join the club for spring training.

Judge Freddy Matos Nina made the decision after questioning Uribe for more than two hours.

Under Napoleonic Code in the Dominican Republic, a hearing is required before a judge to determine whether there is enough evidence to sustain the charge. The district attorney has 48 hours to appeal.

Uribe, 29, was accused by a woman of threatening her with a gun and raping her. He has denied the charge.

Barred From Leaving

Jose Francisco Rodriguez, district court attorney at the province of San Cristobal, on the outskirts of the capital of Santo Domingo, prohibited Uribe on Friday from leaving the country until a hearing was held on the rape charge.

The woman told police she was at a discotheque owned by Uribe on Jan. 5 when she was drugged while drinking a beer. Afterwards, she said, she was forced to go to a hotel in the nearby city of Bani and was raped.

Uribe, the starting shortstop, had signed a one-year contract with the Giants for $687,000 and was scheduled to be in Phoenix for spring training by Feb. 26.