Mesa’s Trial Goes on Hold as Gun Ruled Inadmissible

Jose Mesa’s trial on carrying a concealed weapon was put on hold Thursday after a judge ruled that police had improperly seized the gun in a search of his vehicle.

Mesa, a Cleveland Indian relief pitcher acquitted Wednesday of rape, gross sexual imposition and theft charges, was to have gone on trial next Monday on a charge of carrying a loaded 9-millimeter revolver in his four-wheel drive vehicle.

But Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas Curran ruled during an evidence hearing that the gun was seized during an improper search of the vehicle Dec. 27 after Mesa’s arrest.

Without the weapon, the case cannot proceed to trial, Curran said. Assistant Prosecutor Chris Frey said the state will appeal the ruling.

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Police searched San Diego State’s football locker room and six homes for evidence they say could link three players to the reported gang rape of a high school student.

The 18-year-old woman was acquainted with her alleged attackers and identified four of five men she said had raped her March 2 at a house a mile south of the campus, police said.

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Kentucky football Coach Hal Mumme said there will be no team disciplinary action against defensive lineman George Massey, who pleaded guilty to shoplifting charges. . . . European soccer’s governing body upheld a lifetime suspension of former World Cup referee Kurt Roethlisberger on corruption charges.

College Basketball

As expected, UCLA signed Billy Knight, Travis Reed and Rico Hines to letters of intent to play for the Bruins next season. Knight, a 6-foot-5 guard from Westchester High, and Reed, a 6-7 forward from A.B. Miller, had orally committed to UCLA during the season.

Hines originally signed a letter of intent in May 1996 but fell short of meeting NCAA initial eligibility requirements. He played last season at Hargrove Military Academy in Virginia and is currently enrolled at UCLA.

Seniors Charles O’Bannon, Cameron Dollar and Bob Myers were given the Coach John Wooden Award presented to the team’s most valuable player at the Bruins’ annual banquet.

As expected, Ernie Kent signed a four-year contract to become head coach at Oregon. . . . Cheryl Littlejohn, an assistant with the women’s team at Alabama, was hired as head coach at Minnesota. . . . Xavier men’s Coach Skip Prosser has taken himself out of consideration for Boston College’s coaching vacancy.

Tennis

Top-seeded Richard Krajicek was upset in the second round of the Gold Flake Open at Madras, India, 7-5, 6-3, by Andrei Pavel. . . . Amanda Coetzer upset top-seeded Jana Novotna, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, in the third round of the Bausch & Lomb championships at Amelia Island, Fla. Mary Pierce, seeded 11th, beat fifth-seeded Anke Huber of Germany, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. . . . Gilbert Schaller, who ousted top-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the first round, defeated Portugal’s Nuno Marques, 6-3, 7-5, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Estoril Open at Oeiras, Portugal. . . . David Prinosil of Germany was the only player to reach the quarterfinals of the Salem Open at Hong Kong when rain limited play in the second round. Prinosil advanced when Guillaume Raoux of France defaulted because of a calf injury. . . . Goran Ivanisevic broke three bones in the middle finger of his right hand but will try to continue playing in tournaments. Ivanisevic slammed a door on his finger.

Miscellany

Former basketball star Oscar Robertson donated a kidney to his 33-year-old daughter stricken with lupus. Both were listed in good condition after the six-hour transplant operation at University Hospital in Cincinnati.

Defensive end Neil Smith is unlikely to re-sign with the Kansas City Chiefs, Coach Marty Schottenheimer said. . . . The Denver Broncos agreed to terms with quarterback Bubby Brister, who was out of football last year. . . . Wide receiver Ricky Proehl, who spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears. The Bears also waived wide receiver Michael Timpson. . . . District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry said he will submit a letter of intent for Washington to become the American candidate should the U.S. Olympic Committee bid for the 2008 Summer Games. . . . Mary Slaney, scheduled to run in Sunday’s Carlsbad 5000 road race, received a cortisone shot in one of her heels. Organizers won’t know until today whether Slaney will be able to run. . . . The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Women’s Water Polo Championship begins today at UC Santa Barbara.