Northwestern U. reels from point shaving

The Daily Northwestern CHICAGO (U-WIRE) -- Three of the five men indicted last week by a federal grand jury in a point shaving scandal that catapulted Northwestern University into the national spotlight pleaded not guilty Thursday at their arraignments in U.S. District Court. Not guilty pleas were entered by former NU basketball player Dewey Williams and Brian Irving, two of the four defendants in one indictment alleging point shaving in three Big Ten men's basketball games in early 1995. In a separate indictment, former Wildcat football player Brian Ballarini pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from his involvement in a campus gambling ring. Williams, Irving and Ballarini were each released on a $4,500 personal recognizance bond, according to Randy Sanborn, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office. The other two men named in the point shaving indictment, former NU basketball player Kenneth Dion Lee and Kevin Pendergast, were not in court Thursday and neither was formally arraigned. Judge Charles Nagle Sr. set the arraignments for Pendergast, 27, of Los Olivos, Calif., and Lee, 24, of Louisville, Ky., for April 9 and April 20, respectively. Both Lee and Pendergast are cooperating with the government's investigation and are expected to plead guilty in exchange for leniency, U.S. Attorney Scott Lassar said last week. Nagle also set an April 20 status hearing date for Williams and Irving when a trial date could be set. The defendants are not required to appear in court again until their trials begin. As part of their bond agreements, however, Williams and Irving each agreed to travel restrictions that would keep Williams within the Northern District of Illinois and limit Irving only to travel between the Northern District and his California home. Williams and his lawyer, Gene Steingold, declined comment after Thursday's hearing. Ballarini's attorney, Larry Morrissey, attempted to make a distinction between the two indictments. "[The other indictment] has nothing to do with Brian, and it's unfortunate that it was brought on the same day," Morrissey said. "We're receiving a great deal of publicity for something that's unrelated." In a three-count indictment, Ballarini, 25, of Chicago, is accused of "extortionate collection of credit, interstate transportation in aid of racketeering, and using a telephone to transmit wagering information in interstate commerce." A status hearing to set a trial date in Ballarini's case was set for May 8 by Judge Ann Williams. Morrissey said his client would fight each count of the indictment. "We've entered a plea of not guilty, there will be a trial in this case, and I'm certain [the media] will all cover it," Morrissey said. As part of his bond agreement, Ballarini was ordered not to make contact with Lee or any other potential witnesses in the case.

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