Tyson Released From Solitary After Winning Prison Appeal

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson got out of solitary confinement Friday, only two days after having been ordered to spend nearly a month there for throwing a television set at guards.

Tyson, in jail for assaulting two motorists last August, appealed the ruling of a disciplinary panel at Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville, Md., and his initial penalty of 25 days in solitary confinement was reduced to time served.

“They modified it so that his disciplinary status ended [Friday],” said Tyson’s attorney, Paul Kemp.

The 32-year-old fighter had been in an isolation cell since late Feb. 19, when he became enraged after talking on the phone and threw a television set at guards from behind a set of bars. One guard said he had been injured by shards of plastic.

Tyson was cited for assaulting corrections officers, disorderly conduct and destroying county property.

Pro Football

The NFC champion Atlanta Falcons cut their leading receiver, Tony Martin, who was charged this month with laundering money for a convicted drug dealer.

Martin was the second prominent player to be cut by the Falcons since their Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos. They had earlier cut linebacker Cornelius Bennett, their leading tackler.

Martin, 33, led Atlanta with 66 catches for 1,181 yards and six touchdowns, but the Falcons were concerned about his legal troubles and a clause in his contract that called for him to receive $400,000 if he was on the roster Monday.

The Falcons signed Chris Calloway, who was released by the New York Giants for salary cap reasons after leading them in receptions for four consecutive seasons.

The Falcons also have reached agreement with defensive tackle Bob Kuberski, a former reserve in Green Bay.

The Denver Broncos lost two key players from their Super Bowl championship team to free agency. Offensive tackle Harry Swayne was signed by the Baltimore Ravens and wide receiver Willie Green signed a three-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.

The Ravens also signed tight ends Frank Wainright, formerly of the Dolphins and Greg DeLong of Minnesota, and re-signed wide receiver Floyd Turner, who had 32 receptions and five touchdowns last season.

John Thierry, a defensive end for the Chicago Bears the last five years, was signed by the Cleveland Browns, who plan to use the 27-year-old free agent at linebacker. . . . The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms on a three-year contract with veteran punter Sean Landeta, 37.

Tennis

Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who needed to win his quarterfinal match against Sweden’s Thomas Johansson to overtake Pete Sampras for the No. 1 spot in the ATP Tour rankings, lost, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), in the Guardian Direct indoor at London.

In a simmering replay of their contentious match last month, Amelie Mauresmo of France avenged her loss to top-ranked Martina Hingis of Switzerland in the Australian Open final with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory in the quarterfinals of the $520,000 Gaz de France in Paris.

“You just have to forget it,” Mauresmo said. “What’s past is past. It is time to look to the future.”

Anna Kournikova of Russia benefited from a couple of close calls to beat Chanda Rubin, 7-5, 0-6, 6-3, and advance to the semifinals at Oklahoma City. Top-seeded Venus Williams needed only 63 minutes to beat Alexandra Stevenson, 7-5, 6-3.

The fifth-ranked UCLA men’s team, in its first match since winning the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championships last weekend, hosts Rice today at noon at the L.A. Tennis Center. . . . The eight-ranked UCLA women’s team hosts Nevada Las Vegas at noon at the Sunset Recreation Center.

Miscellany

Patrik Augusta scored two goals and Dan Lambert had two assists as the Ice Dogs defeated the Kansas City Blades, 5-4, in an International Hockey League game at Long Beach. . . . Milt Campbell posted the fastest time by an American this year in the 400 meters, 45.75 seconds, and advanced to the finals of the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. . . . Italian navigator Giovanni Soldini took the lead in the solo sailing race around the world while his nearest contender, former leader Marc Thiercelin of France, his boat’s mast snapped, inched toward the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. . . . Drag racer Tony Schumacher had a run of 323.74 mph to win the No. 1 qualifying position in the top fuel competition at the Kragen Nationals at Chandler, Ariz. . . . Stanford, winner of 12 consecutive Pacific 10 women’s swimming titles, took a big step toward No. 13, winning four of seven events at Federal Way, Wash.