Charges Shift in Duquesne Case

Prosecutors on Thursday dropped charges against one of two men accused of shooting five Duquesne University basketball players, but filed charges against two additional suspects.

All charges were dropped against Brandon Baynes, 18, in the Sept. 17 shooting after an on-campus dance party. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said Baynes was cleared after a witness recanted her story.

Zappala also announced charges against Derek Lee and Erica R. Sager. Lee, 18, is accused of shooting at the players. He is charged with five counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. Sager, 18, is accused of urging Lee and another teen named William Holmes to “shoot victims during a verbal dispute that she probably initiated,” Zappala said.

JURISPRUDENCE

Appeals Court Rules

on Anderson Tape

A federal appeals court ruled that the legality of a tape recording used in the grand jury proceedings of Barry Bonds’ trainer Greg Anderson has not been established, forcing the issue back to the U.S. district court in San Francisco for a decision.

Anderson has been imprisoned since Aug. 28 for not answering prosecutors’ questions about Bonds’ possible perjury.

Anderson has argued that federal prosecutors possess the tape recording illegally and refused to disclose it to him. His attorney argued the tape’s introduction tainted the grand jury proceedings because prosecutors used information they discovered in the recording to question Anderson. The district court found that the recording was not made by wiretap “but made no finding on the legality,” and now must rule on the recording’s legality within a week.

-- Lance Pugmire

TENNIS

Williams Aggravates

Wrist and Loses

Saying she re-injured her left wrist, Venus Williams was upset by Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-3, 6-0, at the Fortis Championships in Luxembourg, losing in her second match back after missing nearly three months because of the injury.

The United States will travel to the Czech Republic for a first-round match of the 2007 Davis Cup on Feb. 9-11.

PRO BASKETBALL

Williams Will Get a Chance With New Jersey

Jay Williams, who is trying to revive his career after a motorcycle accident three years ago, signed with the New Jersey Nets.

MOTOR RACING

Busy Weekend

for Local Tracks

Among the highlights in local auto racing Saturday night, USAC/CRA sprint cars return to Perris Auto Speedway in Riverside County with Cory Kruseman of Ventura only three points ahead of Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. Last week, both crashed as they battled for the lead at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix. Late models and super trucks will race at Irwindale Speedway, and there also will be a demolition derby.

USAC midget cars and VRA sprint cars headline the program at Ventura Raceway, and late models will be featured at the Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino County.

Nate Adams, Kenny Bartram, Jim McNeil and other riders will compete Saturday night in the LG World Championships of Freestyle Motocross at Fairplex Park in Pomona.

-- Jim Peltz