Bush does not appear at deposition in civil suit

SAN DIEGO -- A civil lawsuit involving Reggie Bush took another contentious turn Monday when the former USC star did not appear for what the plaintiff’s attorney said was a scheduled pretrial deposition.

Brian Watkins, who is representing a man suing Bush for nearly $300,000 that he allegedly provided the running back and his family while Bush played for USC, acknowledged Bush’s lawyers had written that Bush would not be present.

“We basically take that as an admission of guilt,” Watkins said by phone. “He had a chance to exonerate himself and he ran from it.”

Bush’s attorney, however, said the lawsuit was without merit and that his client did not appear because he was not properly served. David Cornwell also said that attorneys for both sides had agreed that no defendants in the case would be deposed before Lake.

“They have picked the court as the forum to prosecute their claims,” Cornwell said by phone. “Now they need to do so.”

Bush’s absence Monday was the latest twist in a case that is being monitored by the NCAA, which is investigating allegations the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner and his family received extra benefits from established and would-be marketing agents in 2004 and 2005.

Bush has repeatedly said that neither he nor his family did anything wrong.

On Feb. 12, plaintiff Lloyd Lake walked out of a deposition because of alleged intimidation from an armed security guard retained by Bush’s lawyers. Cornwell has said he felt the need for protection because Lake is a convicted felon and documented gang member.

Lake’s deposition was rescheduled for March 10.

Watkins said he would file a motion today, asking a judge to compel Bush to appear for a deposition and sanction the New Orleans Saints player for not showing up Monday.

Cornwell acknowledged that he had filed a motion for protective order that would prevent Watkins from sharing information gleaned in a deposition with the NCAA.

“We are entitled to the court’s protection against frivolous lawsuits filed for improper purposes,” he said. “We intend to avail ourselves of such protection.”

Watkins also said that Bush’s stepfather, LaMar Griffin, was scheduled to be deposed Wednesday. But Cornwell reiterated that no defendants would be deposed before Lake.

Watkins recalled comments Bush made about Lake last month at the Sundance Film Festival, when he told ESPN, “The hang-up is they don’t want to give us their deposition. . . . But at the same time, they’re doing interviews and making the media rounds? . . . It’s like a trash talker on the field. If you’re serious, meet me on the 50-yard line.”

Said Watkins: “We’re on the 50-yard line and Reggie Bush is on the sideline.”

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gary.klein@latimes.com