Russell to Plead Not Guilty

A lawyer for Darrell Russell said Monday the Oakland Raider defensive tackle will plead not guilty to charges he drugged and raped a woman last week.

Russell was charged Monday at Alameda with 25 counts relating to the alleged attack, and is being held in jail in lieu of $1.2-million bail.

Police said they seized a videotape of the incident during a search of the house, occupied by Russell’s teammate, safety Eric Johnson, where the victim says the alleged assault occurred early Thursday.

Police said the victim, whose name was not released, was tested for drugs at a hospital the evening after the alleged attack, and no drugs were found. Deputy Dist. Atty. Kevin Murphy said the prosecution had requested further drug tests and that other evidence supported those charges.

Russell, 25, appeared in court for the first time and did not say anything as his lawyer, Anthony W. Gibbs, waived arraignment. Gibbs said Russell will plead not guilty and seek bail reduction Thursday.

Russell, Naeem Perry, 24, of Berkeley, and Ali Hayes, 27, of Oakland, were in shackles when they appeared in court.

San Diego Charger defensive tackle Leonardo Carson faces two misdemeanor charges for allegedly pulling a gun at a car repair shop in Mobile, Ala.

Carson, 24, was arrested and charged with harassment and menacing, said Mobile Police Sgt. John Goodwin. Carson was released on a $1,000 bond.

Prosecutors in Boston withdrew a misdemeanor charge against suspended New England Patriot receiver Terry Glenn, acknowledging they do not have enough evidence to try him on charges of assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

The Minnesota Vikings asked a court to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Korey Stringer, claiming the team is protected under the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act.

Team attorneys called Stringer’s heatstroke death Aug. 1 a “terrible blow” but said it was “clearly, undeniably in the course and scope of his employment for the Vikings,” the Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported on its Web site.

Stringer’s widow, Kelci, is suing the Vikings for $100 million, claiming coaches and medical staff did not give Stringer the medical attention he required.

College Football

Miami Coach Larry Coker, who once earned $7,000 per year as a high school coach, was rewarded for winning the national championship, receiving a five-year, $5.25-million contract.

Coker, 53, had two years remaining on his previous contract.

Horse Racing

Trainer Bobby Frankel has reluctantly sent Labamta Babe, one of the emerging Kentucky Derby favorites, to the sidelines.

In his first race around two turns, Labamta Babe won the Santa Catalina Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 19, but on Monday morning at Hollywood Park, swelling in an ankle led to an X-ray that showed that the 3-year-old colt has a strained suspensory ligament.

Labamta Babe won’t race in the Kentucky Derby or the other Triple Crown events.

Frankel was forced to retire Flute, who won last year’s Kentucky Oaks, because of a chipped ankle. She finished with four wins and three seconds in eight starts and earnings of $1.1 million.

The 4-year-old daughter of Seattle Slew will be bred to a Kentucky stallion in the next several weeks.

Olympics

Sarah Abitbol and Stephane Bernadis, France’s pairs champions in figure skating, have withdrawn from the Winter Olympics after she tore an Achilles’ tendon in practice at Logan, Utah.... Latvian bobsledder Sandis Prusis has appealed a decision by the International Olympic Committee to ban him from the Winter Olympics because of a positive drug test. The appeal now goes before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Baseball

Philadelphia outfielder Bobby Abreu had an emergency appendectomy but will be ready for the start of spring training.... The Angels agreed to terms on one-year contracts with right-handed pitchers Mickey Callaway, Steve Green, Elvin Nina and Derrick Turnbow, and infielder Alfredo Amezaga.... The New York Yankees settled their final salary arbitration case, agreeing to a one-year, $885,000 contract with outfielder Shane Spencer.... Reliever Doug Creek agreed to a $685,000, one-year contract with Tampa Bay.

Miscellany

Team owner Barry Green, a regular in the CART series, will enter cars for Paul Tracy and Dario Franchitti in the rival Indy Racing League’s Indianapolis 500. Michael Andretti, third last year in his first race at Indianapolis since the CART-IRL split in 1996, also is expected to drive in the May 26 race.... A crowd turned on police attempting to break up a fight that involved as many as 100 people at a high school basketball game at Sharon, Pa., slightly injuring at least three officers.... Jesse Wilson, 20, a defensive back at Cincinnati, was arrested on aggravated assault and riot charges and has been suspended from the team.