Drugs Could Have Been Tainted in Irvin Trial

Evidence could have been contaminated by police during the raid on Michael Irvin’s motel room, an officer said Tuesday in the Dallas Cowboys recever’s felony drug possession trial.

The testimony from Brian Crum, whose one-year tenure made him the least experienced of four Irving officers at the scene last March, came as defense attorneys tried to further their contention that police made a “comedy of errors.”

The trial’s ninth day also marked the first time Irvin’s family joined him in the courtroom. His mother, an aunt, a sister and a niece sat quietly in the front row, about eight feet from him.

“I think his family is here because they love the man and they want to be here with him,” defense attorney Don Godwin said. “They’ve traveled a long way to be here with him, and I personally respect that.”

Irving detective James Hallum, a narcotics investigator who helped with the case, said that the tiny amount of cocaine found on the only item belonging to Irvin could have been spread inadvertently by police’s sloppy handling of evidence.

A test tube taken from atop Irvin’s jewelry bag may have picked up the .0005 gram of cocaine found on it while lumped in a plastic grocery bag with other items taken during the drug raid.

The items were not placed into standard evidence bags until returned to police headquarters. Hallum testified that officers could have called the office and asked for the bags to be brought to the scene. He added that it was not standard for beat cops to carry them.

Tennis

Unseeded Jiri Novak upset No. 2 seed Marcelo Rios of Chile 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-2 in the first round of the Swiss Open at Gstaad, Switzerland. In other first round action, unseeded Sergi Bruguera of Spain upset fourth-seeded Arnaud Boetsch of France 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.

Boxing

Riddick Bowe weighed in at 252 pounds for his bout Thursday with Andrew Golota of Poland at Madison Square Garden. Golota, a bronze medalist for Poland in the 1988 Olympics, weighed 243.

World Boxing Council welterweight champion Pernell Whitaker will fight a rematch against Wilfredo Rivera Sept. 20 at Miami.

Whitaker (38-1-1, 16 knockouts) won a split decision over Rivera (23-1-1, 14 KOs) on April 12.

Also on the card is another rematch, with International Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion Arturo Gatti defending his title against Tracey Harris Patterson.

Pro Hockey

Center Kevin Todd, who scored 16 goals and 43 points in 74 games with the Kings last season, signed a two-year contract with thePittsburgh Penguins.

“The Kings didn’t try too hard to keep me,” said Todd, who was an unrestricted free agent.

“They had ample opportunity to keep me. They made it sound like I was asking a ridiculous amount of money, and I wasn’t. I’m definitely happy where I’m going now.”

Todd earned $450,000 last season.

The St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Marc Bergevin, who played with the Detroit Red Wings last season.

John Perpich, an assistant with he Kings the last two seasons, was named head coach of the Phoenix Roadrunners, the Kings International Hockey League affiliate.

The Ottawa Senators signed free agent Denny Lambert, a former left wing with the Mighty Ducks.

Pro Basketball

Brendan Malone, fired as coach of the Toronto Raptors after last season, was hired as an assistant with the New York Knicks, who also hired former Philadelphia 76ers assistant Tom Thibodeau.

Lee Rose was named an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets.

Miscellany

Walt Disney Co is expected to announce that the Harlem Globetrotters will make the Disney sports complex in Orlando its permanent training facility, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Harold (Hal) Robson, the first Canadian-bornrace car driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500, died at the age of 85 from complications arising from lymphoma.

John Cravens, former head basketall coach at Univ. of Idaho the last three seasons, was named assistant at UC Irvine.