Rick Pitino arrives at federal courthouse. (AP photo)
Some news and notes as we break for lunch at the Karen Sypher trial.
- Rick Pitino has not yet testified. He may testify this afternoon. We’re not sure at this point.
- Star witness this morning was Vinnie Tatum, Pitino’s personal assistant back in 2003. He testified that after Porcini’s restaurant had cleared out that night, leaving Pitino and Karen Sypher at the bar, Tatum moved to the other side of a brick wall because, “I felt uncomfortable.” Tatum said he felt like the third wheel. But Tatum testified that he did not hear any screams, and if he had he would have tried to see what was going on.
- Sypher’s attorney, Jim Earhart, honed in on Pitino’s restaurant bill that night. There was a bill for $316.24, and an additional bill for $280.12, plus a third tab for approximately $38. Of that bill, Earhart pointed out that only about $100 was for food. The rest of the $600-plus bill was for alcohol. And of the people in Pitino’s party that night (Pitino, Reggie Theus, Ron Carmichael and Tatum), Tatum did not drink because he was the designated driver, and Theus left immediately after dinner to return to the West Coast. Theus had been officially announced as a new U of L assistant coach that day, and the dinner at Porcini’s was to celebrate the hire. Earhart’s inference was that Pitino consumed a considerable amount of alcohol that night. Tatum did say, “It doesn’t say that Coach Pitino didn’t buy other people cocktails” that night.
- Porcini’s owner, Tim Coury, was the first person to testify. He did say that the night of July 31, 2003, the night of the sexual encounter between Pitino and Sypher, was the only time that he ever let a customer, Pitino or otherwise, remain in the restaurant after he had departed. Coury said he told Tatum how to exit the restaurant, through an emergency door in the front of restaurant. He said he did not give Pitino a key.
- Later, Earhart hit on the fact that though Coury told Tatum how to exit, Tatum did not tell Pitino. Yet Pitino knew how to exit, since Tatum testified that he did see Pitino exit through that door with Sypher, then get into Sypher’s white Cadillac Escalade.
- Coury, Jeff Steffens (the second witness called this morning) and Tatum all testified that they saw Sypher leave the restaurant, and then return wearing a short, white mini-skirt. Tatum testified that Sypher was wearing a white thong. Steffens testified that Glen Hogan, while in the Pitino party later in the night, asked Sypher “What have you got under there?” then flipped up Sypher’s skirt. (Coury also testified as to having seen Hogan do that.) Both Steffen and Tatum testified that Sypher did not object to or show any resistance to Hogan’s action.
- Tatum testified that after Pitino and Sypher left, he waited inside the restaurant for an hour or so to see if Pitino would return. When asked by Earhart why he didn’t call Pitino, since Tatum had the coach’s cell phone number, Tatum said, “I don’t know that I didn’t call him. If I did, he didn’t answer.”
- U.S. prosecutor John E. Kuhn, Jr., hit on the fact that after the encounter at the restaurant, Coury and Tatum saw Sypher in the presence of Pitino at various U of L functions, as Sypher was with equipment manager Tim Sypher, and that they did not notice any sort of distress on Sypher’s part.
- By the end of the morning, the courtroom was full this morning with media and observers.
- Earhart tried to hit on the fact that Tatum had used white-out in his calendar for the night of July 31, 2003. But Kuhn then pointed out that Tatum used white-out throughout his calendar. Said Tatum, “I always say that we make plans just so that we can change them.”
I never thought I’d see the day when my favorite local sports writer would stoop to covering a sex trial — and one with minimal connection to UK or Lexington. This is nothing but unabashed appeal to the prurient.
John, if your paper forced this on you, I apologize. But this is a new low, IMHO.
I don’t know what “Pete” is talking about, this is a court trial for Rick Pitino. I’m not quite sure how Pete thinks this isn’t news. You haven’t stooped to any levels, at least on this occasion, lol.. Pete must be a blind Pitino disciple..
I’m with Pete. Plus, why do we want to continue to make Tricky Ricky the lead story in Lexington. We have plenty of good sports stories – the Reds, UK football and anything Calipari to entertain Lexington readers. Let Louisville deal with the slimy side of Pitino if they want him so badly.
CNN Headline news is covering the trial with live reports. Go get ‘em Pete!
While you are busting on John for blogging this Pitino trial update, I’m sure you read his notes. Ergo, it’s news, and if you’re not interested why did you read the blog and comment?
Pete With John covering it at least we will get a unbiased report
the fact that you took the time to comment on this should tell you why it is being covered.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
T.M.I. T.M.I. T.M.I.
I AM SO SICK OF THIS BEING IN THE NEWS EVERY DAY.
THEY HAD SEX. HE IS SORRY HE GOT CAUGHT. SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS SMART TO TRY AND GET SOMETHING OUT OF HIM TO KEEP QUIET. SHE WASN’T. NOW SHE GOT CAUGHT AND NOW SHE WILL HAVE TO PAY.
HE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY AND NOW KENTUCKY HAS YET ANOTHER NATIONAL EXPOSURE BLACK EYE IN SPORTS.
Matt – FYI, this is NOT a court trial for Rick Pitino. Rick Pitino is not on trial. Karen Sypher is on trial for extortion. Rick Pitino is the victim and a witness to her trial. Try to keep up.
This is news, even in Lexington. Pitino is a former UK coach, Louisville is just down the road, the trial involves extortion and related charges involving a state university employee. The national sports media is watching. What isn’t news about this?
Just for the record, I am not a Rick Pitino disciple — nor do I hate the guy. He is the coach at U of L and I have pretty much zero interest in his personal life or that of any of his sex partners. I am a fan of John Clay’s. I am just disappointed that, with football season about to begin, with the Reds in a pennant chase, with the WEG just weeks away, T.O. headed to Cincy, and lots of other sports stuff to talk about, we are being subjected to this. If I wanted this, I’d be reading a gossip blog, not a local sports blog.
That’s all.