Charges Dropped Against 3 Associates of Former Ram

Federal prosecutors have dropped drug charges against three associates of former Ram cornerback and convicted cocaine trafficker Darryl F. Henley, who has also been indicted for arranging million-dollar drug deals from his jail cell and conspiring to murder a federal judge and star prosecution witness.

Charges were dismissed against Alisa Denmon, 30, who is the mother of Henley’s infant child, and Ronald and Donald Knight, 31-year-old twins who have long been friends and business associates of the athlete.

The three were arrested last month on a federal complaint that accused them of helping Henley arrange a 25-kilogram cocaine deal from his jail cell.

That complaint was filed only two days after Henley was charged with trying to arrange both a $1-million heroin deal from behind bars and contract killings of U. S. District Judge Gary L. Taylor, who presided over Henley’s 1995 cocaine trafficking trial, and Tracy Donaho, a former Ram cheerleader who testified against the athlete.

U.S. Atty. Marc Harris declined to say why prosecutors dropped charges against the three defendants.

The Knights and Denmon were accused in the earlier complaint of being lookouts and gofers in Henley’s alleged drug ring. None was accused of being involved in the alleged scheme to kill the judge and the former cheerleader.

Harris said prosecutors were still pursuing drug charges against Kym Taylor, Henley’s former girlfriend who allegedly helped him arrange the cocaine deal.

On Monday, Henley pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment alleging that he plotted two killings, set up two major drug deals and bribed prison guard Rodney Anderson to provide him with a cellular telephone in his cell.

Anderson, a 29-year-old guard at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, also pleaded not guilty to the same 13-count indictment.

The indictment also names Eric Henley, the athlete’s 26-year-old brother, and Jimmy Washington, 49. Washington is accused of being a Detroit distributor in the drug deals. Eric Henley also faces only drug charges.

Their arraignments were scheduled for next Monday.