Irvin Charges Dismissed on Technicality

Drug-possession charges against Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Michael Irvin and two topless dancers were thrown out by a Dallas judge Wednesday on a technicality. Prosecutors say they will obtain a new indictment.

State District Judge Manny Alvarez dismissed the case because a member of the grand jury that indicted Irvin lived outside the county.

“This particular grand juror honestly believed that he lived in Dallas County,” prosecutor Norm Kinne said. “He was just barely across the line.”

Irvin, 30, was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana after a raid March 4 on a motel room in suburban Dallas. The charges carry a total of 20 1/2 years in prison.

Charges were also dismissed against two 22-year-old women who police said were with Irvin in the motel room.

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Former Miami Dolphin running back Sammie Smith was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $10,000 for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine.

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The prosecution rested its case in the manslaughter trial of Seattle Seahawk receiver Brian Blades, accused of shooting his cousin, Charles Blades, last July, with a demonstration that seemed to support the defense’s argument that the death was an accident.

The defense claims that a drunken Charles Blades died trying to break up a fight between between Brian Blades and his younger brother Bennie Blades, a safety with the Detroit Lions.

Basketball

A Connecticut clothier has accused Massachusetts All-American Marcus Camby of charging at least $1,800 worth of clothes for himself and two friends to the credit card of an attorney who was seeking to become his agent.

Jack Daswani, owner of Daswani and Sons, Inc., in West Hartford, Conn., alleged that Camby and two of his friends used the credit card account of Wesley S. Spears, a Hartford trial lawyer who wanted to represent Camby.

Dawwani said in a statement that he sold Camby’s two friends suits each worth $400 in January, and $1,000 worth of clothes to Camby in April.

All the sales were charged to the credit card of Spears, whom Camby has accused of attempted blackmail in a failed attempt to sign him.

Maine Coach Rudy Keeling has been hired by Northeastern. Keeling, 47, who compiled a 106-122 record in eight seasons, succeeds Dave Leitao, who resigned after going 4-24 last season.

Richie Parker, a former New York high school star who failed to secure a scholarship after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl 1 1/2 years ago, has accepted a full scholarship to Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus.

The New York Knicks have decided to use the No. 19 first-round draft pick that they received from the Miami Heat as compensation for the signing of Coach Pat Riley.

The Knicks had the choice of using the pick, which Miami acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in the Kevin Willis deal in 1994, in 1996 or 1997.

Tennis

Michael Stich of Germany defeated Michael Joyce, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, in the second round of the Queen’s grass-court tournament at London.

Second-seeded Nathalie Tauziat rallied from 0-6 in the second-set tiebreaker to overcome Thai qualifier Tamarine Tanasugarn, 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, in the second round of a grass-court tournament at Birmingham, England.

Top-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain defeated Portugal’s Bernardo Mota, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, to reach the quarterfinals in the Maia Open at Oporto, Portugal.

Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands defeated Brett Steven of New Zealand, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Heineken Open grass-court tournament at Rosmalen, Netherlands.

Monica Seles has been given a wild card to play in the women’s doubles at Wimbledon with Betsy Nagelsen. Seles, already entered for the singles, is returning to Wimbledon for the first time since her stabbing in Hamburg, Germany, in 1993.

Football

Former Chicago Bear defensive tackle William “the Refrigerator” Perry has left the London Monarchs of the World League and may become a professional wrestler. . . . The New York Giants signed free-agent wide receiver Lawrence Dawsey, who caught 30 passes with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. . . . Toronto Maple Leaf forward Tie Domi, a former soccer player, will make his debut tonight as a kicker with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts in an exhibition against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Names in the News

Wayne Gretzky of the St. Louis Blues will receive the career award at the Victor Awards in Las Vegas on June 29.