ducks
09-22-2004, 03:45 PM
Lawyer: Alleged drug dealer bought guns to protect Cavaliers player CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) -- Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dajuan Wagner and his mother were at risk of being kidnapped more than two years ago, a lawyer told a federal jury.
The statement Monday came from a defense lawyer in the drug trial of Wagner's stepfather, Leonard ``Pooh'' Paulk. While Paulk is not charged with any gun crimes, prosecutors will assert that he bought some 20 semiautomatic weapons in 2002 as they try to prove he was involved in a drug conspiracy.
Paulk's lawyer, Dennis J. Cogan, said Paulk bought the guns to ``arm his family'' and protect Wagner. Paulk is married to Wagner's mother, Lisa Paulk.
Wagner, who got national attention in 2001 when he scored 100 points in a game for Camden High School, sat with family and friends in the rear of the courtroom watching the opening statements of what is expected to be a six-week trial against his stepfather and three other men.
The four were among 14 people arrested in March 2003 and accused of running one of Camden's largest drug-selling operations.
The other 10 have pleaded guilty, and alleged group leader Darnell Tuten is expected to be the star government witness in the trial.
Paulk, 34, is accused of helping lead the gang and laundering more than $1.6 million in drug revenues at casinos in Atlantic City and Mississippi.
Cogan said Paulk, who served time in prison in the late 1990s for dealing drugs, had reformed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Smith said he will describe how Paulk was still deep in the illegal drug business.sports.yahoo.com/nba/news...&type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-cavaliers-wagner-stepfather&prov=ap&type=lgns)
The statement Monday came from a defense lawyer in the drug trial of Wagner's stepfather, Leonard ``Pooh'' Paulk. While Paulk is not charged with any gun crimes, prosecutors will assert that he bought some 20 semiautomatic weapons in 2002 as they try to prove he was involved in a drug conspiracy.
Paulk's lawyer, Dennis J. Cogan, said Paulk bought the guns to ``arm his family'' and protect Wagner. Paulk is married to Wagner's mother, Lisa Paulk.
Wagner, who got national attention in 2001 when he scored 100 points in a game for Camden High School, sat with family and friends in the rear of the courtroom watching the opening statements of what is expected to be a six-week trial against his stepfather and three other men.
The four were among 14 people arrested in March 2003 and accused of running one of Camden's largest drug-selling operations.
The other 10 have pleaded guilty, and alleged group leader Darnell Tuten is expected to be the star government witness in the trial.
Paulk, 34, is accused of helping lead the gang and laundering more than $1.6 million in drug revenues at casinos in Atlantic City and Mississippi.
Cogan said Paulk, who served time in prison in the late 1990s for dealing drugs, had reformed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Smith said he will describe how Paulk was still deep in the illegal drug business.sports.yahoo.com/nba/news...&type=lgns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-cavaliers-wagner-stepfather&prov=ap&type=lgns)