Judge Orders Foes in Autopsy-Photos Case to Meet

Dale Earnhardt’s widow and Orlando Sentinel lawyers were ordered Tuesday to meet to try to resolve their dispute over autopsy photos of the NASCAR star.

Circuit Judge Joseph G. Will handed down his order at Daytona Beach, Fla., as a Florida Senate committee unanimously approved a bill that would restrict the public’s access to autopsy photos.

Under state law, the photos are public record, but Will blocked their release pending a hearing on Teresa Earnhardt’s request to keep them private. Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash at the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.

Tuesday, Will told lawyers for Mrs. Earnhardt and the Sentinel to meet Thursday morning. Former Volusia County Judge John J. Upchurch IV will serve as mediator.

“I would like you to stay here until you settle it or until you are absolutely sure that you can’t,” Will told both sides.

They have until Monday to reach an agreement or it will be up to the judge.

The Sentinel has been joined in its quest for the photos by The Times and Chicago Tribune. The Sentinel said it doesn’t plan to publish the photos, but wants an outside expert to examine them as it looks into NASCAR safety.

The Senate bill, which would require a judge to approve any requests by the public to see autopsy photos, won unanimous approval from the Senate Criminal Justice Committee in Tallahassee. It still needs approval from the Senate Government Oversight and Productivity Committee before it can come to the full Senate for a vote. A House companion bill hasn’t had a hearing yet.

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Robert Prescott and Alton “Junior” Adams, former Oregon State football players convicted of felony assault for beating another student at a party July 22, were sentenced to 10 days in jail, three years’ probation and 150 hours of community service.

The student, Victor Becerra, 22, was beaten and kicked so badly that he couldn’t walk. He suffered no permanent injuries.

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Figure skater Jessica Roos is suing Bob Young, the former executive director of the International Skating Center of Connecticut, accusing him of sexual harassment.

The lawsuit says that from 1995 to 1999, Young used his position to “exploit, degrade and abuse” Roos sexually “under the guise that he was only doing so to help her ‘protect’ herself.”

In addition to the sexual harassment claims, Roos is also suing for false imprisonment, assault, emotional distress and fraud.

Young’s lawyer, Richard Kenny, said that Young would not comment on the case, but said the lawsuit would be defended vigorously.

Pro Football

Gus Frerotte, who turned down an offer from the Cincinnati Bengals last week, agreed to a one-year contract to remain with the Denver Broncos.

Quarterback Shane Matthews agreed a two-year contract to remain with the Chicago Bears. . . . The Arizona Cardinals agreed to a five-year, $18-million contract with free-agent guard Pete Kendall. . . . The Green Bay Packers re-signed right guard Marco Rivera to a four-year contract extension reportedly worth $10 million. . . . The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed punter Daniel Pope to a two-year contract. . . . The Kansas City Chiefs waived punter and kickoff specialist Todd Sauerbrun. . . . The Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent punter Chris Mohr. . . . The New England Patriots released nose tackle Henry Thomas, special teams player Larry Whigham and wide receiver Tony Hamler, and re-signed free agent nose tackle Garrett Johnson.

The New York Giants hired Fred von Appen as special teams coach. . . . The Arena Football League’s Florida Bobcats signed Lawrence Phillips, giving the controversial former NFL running back a chance in his third professional league.

Track and Field

Michael Johnson, 33, plans to retire after this summer’s Goodwill Games in Australia, ending a career in which he won five Olympic gold medals and nine at the World Championships. The world-record holder in the 200 and 400 meters said he did not want to “be an athlete who didn’t leave when it was time.”

British runner Mark Richardson’s bid for early reinstatement from a drug suspension was rejected by the International Amateur Athletic Federation, which also referred the drug case of Romanian hammer thrower Mihaela Melinte to arbitration.

Melinte would face a two-year ban if found guilty of testing positive for a steroid at the Sydney Games. The track and field ruling body also reviewed a proposal that athletes in races shorter than 400 meters could be disqualified after one false start instead of two.

Miscellany

Iditarod leader Doug Swingley was resting Tuesday evening at White Mountain, Alaska, with 77 miles to go for his third straight win. He was expected to reach Nome early this morning.

Swingley reached White Mountain at 1:14 p.m. Tuesday, about six hours ahead of his closest pursuer, Linwood Fiedler. After a required eight-hour rest, he was scheduled to head for Nome at 9:14 p.m.

The U.S. women’s soccer team defeated Portugal, 2-0, in its second game of round-robin play in the Algarve Cup at Silves, Portugal.

Striker Christie Welsh scored after 62 minutes on an assist from Katherine Reddich, then Stephanie Rigamat added an insurance goal with three minutes to play.

Tiger Woods received the Mark H. McCormack Award for spending all of last year ranked as the No. 1 golfer in the world.

The gymnastics coaches of Romania’s Sydney Games gold-medal winning team have threatened to quit because of low wages.

Cyclist Marco Pantani was questioned by Florence police investigating drug accusations against Italian riders who competed at the Sydney Olympics.

This weekend’s rugby game between France and Wales will be played in Paris despite the first case of foot-and-mouth disease in France. Equestrian events scheduled for Friday through Sunday in France were called off, however.

Passings

Former Detroit Piston center Walter Dukes had been dead for a month when his body was found in his bed Tuesday, Detroit police said.

Dukes, 70, apparently died of natural causes, said Officer Claude Fox, a department spokesman.

Dukes was 7 feet and played at 220 pounds while with Detroit from 1957-63. He averaged 10.9 points and 11.8 rebounds a game with the Pistons, who had obtained him in a September 1957 trade that sent Larry Foust to the then-Minneapolis Lakers.