Kathy E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Charlotte Hornets forward Anthony Mason, who faces charges of statutory rape stemming from an alleged incident last month, appeared briefly before a judge yesterday (Monday) in Queens, New York. A conference was held before Criminal Court Judge Sheryl Parker and another conference was scheduled for April 7th, according to Maureen Moore, a spokesperson for the Queens District Attorney. No trial date was set. Mason was arrested Feb. 7th in New York on charges he and a companion had sexual intercourse with two girls under the age of 16. He was released from prison after posting $20,000 bond following his arraignment. Mason, who grew up in Queens and spends the offseason in New York, was charged with three counts of third-degree rape, one count of third- degree sexual abuse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He has vehemently denied the charges. His companion, 24-year-old William Duggins, was charged with two counts of third-degree rape, one count of third-degree sexual abuse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Duggins' bail was set at $3,500. A third-degree rape charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. A third-degree sexual abuse charge has a maximum sentence of 90 days, while endangering the welfare of a child carries a sentence of one year. If convicted on all charges, Mason would face a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. Mason reportedly attended a small party at his home with 10 others after returning to New York for the NBA All-Star break. He allegedly met the girls, whose identities have been withheld, following a charity basketball game. The 31-year-old Mason played five seasons for the Knicks before being traded to the Hornets in July 1996, in the deal that brought forward Larry Johnson to New York. He often clashed with Knicks management for keeping late hours during his stay in New York and was involved in several off-the-court incidents. In 1994, he was sued by a Queens electrician who claimed Mason assaulted him outside a Manhattan bar. Two years later, he faced another lawsuit, stemming from an alleged fight at another Manhattan bar. Mason was arrested in 1996 on charges of second-degree assault and resisting arrest after a dispute over a parking ticket. He later pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct charge. -- Kathy E "I can only please one person a day, today is NOT your day, and tomorrow isn't looking too good for you either" http://members.delphi.com/kathylaw/ Law & Issues Mailing List http://pw1.netcom.com/~kathye/rodeo.html - Cowboy Histories http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/2990/law.htm Crime photo's Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
