Henley Asks Judge to Ease Travel Ban

Citing his need to earn a living and avoid “a severe financial crisis,” Rams cornerback Darryl Henley asked a federal judge Tuesday to ease a travel ban that restricts him to Southern California, so that he can play in games away from Anaheim Stadium.

A motion filed in U. S. District Court in Santa Ana by Henley’s attorneys asks that he be permitted to travel to one preseason and eight regular-season games being played outside the local federal court district.

Henley, indicted last December as the alleged leader of a cocaine-distribution ring that operated from his Brea home, signed a one-year, $350,000 contract with the Rams earlier this month, after the National Football League cleared him to play.

But a restriction of the $200,000 bail on which he remains free prohibits him from traveling outside the federal Central District of California, which encompasses Orange and Los Angeles counties.

In the motion being considered by U. S. District Judge Gary Taylor, Henley’s attorneys said their client would suffer “dire (financial) consequences” if he is not permitted to play for the Rams this season. They have asked that Taylor rule on the motion before Aug. 25, when the Rams travel to San Diego to play the Chargers.

“Mr. Henley is facing a severe financial crisis because he was unable to compete last year,” wrote attorney Gerald L. Chaleff. “If he is not allowed to work this year, he faces dire consequences.”

Although Henley was paid his entire $600,000 salary for the 1993 season, Chaleff said that Henley’s inability to play in most of those games hurt his marketability this season.

“His value was diminished by at least $600,000 this year,” Chaleff said. “You can ask anybody.”

Assistant U. S. Atty. Deirdre Z. Eliot said she will oppose Henley’s motion to have the conditions of his bail modified.

“As we said before, we felt Darryl Henley’s case was an appropriate one for detention from the outset,” Eliot said. “We continue to believe that he is a danger to the community, and we would oppose his traveling with the team to ensure his future appearances in court.”

In June, Judge Taylor granted Henley permission to travel outside the district for four days to attend a family wedding in Waco, Tex., and prosecutors did not oppose the request.

But they did oppose another request by Henley to travel to Atlanta to oversee construction of a new home, because the indictment alleges that Henley arranged for a former Rams cheerleader to deliver a suitcase containing cocaine to a drop-off point in Atlanta.

Henley’s attorneys said they contacted a pretrial services officer last week about their client’s latest request.

The legal motion quotes Jill McClain, the officer, as saying she had “no problem” with Henley’s application to travel outside the district. McClain, who is handling Henley’s case while his regular pretrial services officer is on vacation, declined to comment Tuesday.

In seeking permission for Henley to travel twice to San Diego, and once each to Atlanta; Tampa, Fla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Green Bay, Wis.; New Orleans; San Francisco and Chicago, Henley’s attorneys said he typically will fly with the team from Los Angeles International Airport on the Saturday before the game and return on Sunday after the game.

For two of the games, however, he would have to leave on the Friday before the game and return Sunday. All trips are “highly regimented,” the attorneys argued, noting they will be filled with team practices, meetings, games, curfews and bed checks. An Anaheim police officer travels with the team to all away games, they said.