Attorney wants probe of referee in Suns games
Michael Kiefer
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 15, 2007 04:25 PM
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, who pleaded guilty to gambling-related charges in federal court Wednesday, may also face charges in Maricopa County if investigations by the basketball league or the FBI reveal that he deliberately miscalled two Phoenix Suns playoff games earlier this year.
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas on Wednesday sent letters to NBA Commissioner David Stern and to the head of the FBI in Washington, DC, asking that his office be given any and all information about Donaghy's handling of the two Suns games that he officiated. Thomas wants to know whether Donaghy gambled on the games, provided inside information to gamblers or helped determine the outcome by making bad officiating calls.
In federal court in New York, Donaghy pleaded guilty to felony counts of conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information through interstate commerce. He was released on $250,000 bond. He faces up to 25 years in prison.
In his letters, Thomas stated that Donaghy might have also broken Arizona state law.
"Specifically it has been reported that Mr. Donaghy refereed playoff series games between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers on April 29, 2007, and the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs on May 12, 2007," Thomas wrote.
"If Mr. Donaghy purposely failed to officiate the games properly, and his conduct resulted in changing the outcome of games, such conduct might have violated various Arizona criminal statutes and could be the subject of criminal prosecution."
The Suns played both of the games on the road, including the match-up against San Antonio in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs won, 108-101.
Thomas did not comment on the letters, but Special Assistant County Attorney Barnett Lotstein said that the state's "long arm statute" allows the county to prosecute in such cases.
"If any element of the crime happened in our county, we have jurisdiction," Lotstein said.
Those elements would include the planning of the crime, even if it took place elsewhere, he said.
Among the possible felony charges are fraudulent schemes and artifices, which carries a possible prison sentence of 3 to 10 years; and bribery of participants in professional or amateur games, which carries a possible prison sentence of 1 to 3 ¾ years.
The latter applies to players, coaches, trainers or referees who try to profit from deliberately influencing the outcome of any sporting event.
"Oh !"
- Every Spurs fan who reads this.
off already.
--- Every Spurs Fan who reads this.
Here's the challenge Spurs fans:
Can you starve the troll?
If replying to this doesn't count as feeding said troll, then yes, I suppose I can. I read the "article" and just gave it an eyeroll. And a yawn. A nice, long, yawn.
And if he bet on the Suns? Let me guess, you'll shut the up and disappear faster than your father did after your mother got pregnant?
Hey-oh!
It just says that he reffed those games. It doesn't say he fixed those games.
Don't the good people of San Antonio want to know the truth?
doesn't really bother me, none of the spurs are going to jail. Also they have not even determined if he bet on that game or not. It has also been pointed out numerous times that he was the best ref in that game. He did not call any of the bogus calls on amare, or did he call any questionable calls. I would not be suprised that when the truth comes out it will end up being that he did not bet on this game, then the Suns will be back to ing about Horry.
The only truth is the one that you choose to believe. I choose to believe Kori should start banning you s for being a waste of bandwidth.
Who gives a damn? We will STILL be the champs and you will STILL be the losers so give it up already. You forget that you did not win the other 4 games so what difference will it make? Maybe if Amare and Diaw had some more brains they would have stayed on the bench, or if Nash had not tried to act like he was mortally wounded you would have had a chance. Did you see how fast Nash jumped up when he realized his actions after the flop were detrimental to his team? Because of him all your team got all hissified and up in arms. Screw your little run and gun team. Learn how to play championship basketball instead of just trying to outscore everyone then you might have a chance to realize your dream of bringing home at least 1 championship to your state. Won't ever happen, but you can dream anyways. Ces la vie!
Ginofan's gonna be heartbroken.
Cue Fast Dunk...
not so much...
Oh for what like if anything comes out the NBA is going to hand you the le. How do you know that he was not betting on you and you guys lost anyway you ever think of that genius.
Well, the Suns were ed, end of the story...
Suns fans need to man up...
Who are you and what did you do with Fast Dunk?
"Oh for brains strikes again!"
-Every Spurs fan who reads this.
Suns were ed as soon as they hired Mike the disaster D'antoni as their coach.
Which makes Cavs' sweep at our hands look even worse. My God, you guys suck.
Suns fans are the ones in denial of the truth: Suns are not as good as the Spurs.
There's your truth.
Let's follow this investigation with another one that asks why a jump shooting team (Suns) shot 20% more free throws in the series than the Spurs.
The plot thickens.
I also heard that JFK and Elvis are living quietly in a Phoenix suburb.
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