Henley Loses Bid to Disqualify Area Judges

Former Ram cornerback Darryl Henley lost a bid Monday to disqualify all federal judges in the Los Angeles area from presiding over his trial on charges that he had plotted to assassinate U.S. District Court Judge Gary L. Taylor of Santa Ana.

In denying Henley’s request, U.S. District Court Judge James Ideman said he was not sure that he had the authority to disqualify all other federal judges in the seven-county Central District of California from hearing the case.

Henley, 29, is accused in a 13-count indictment of plotting to kill Taylor and former Ram cheerleader Tracy Donaho, who testified against Henley in a 1995 drug trial at which Taylor was the judge.

The indictment also accused the former athlete of engineering a $1-million, cross-country drug deal, and bribing prison guard Rodney Anderson to provide him with a cellular telephone he could use from his cell.

The same indictment charges Anderson, a 29-year-old guard at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, with helping Henley plan the murders-for-hire. Anderson has denied the charges.

Henley’s trial is scheduled to begin before Ideman on Nov. 5.