Man Dies in Ford Field Accident

A painter working at the Detroit Lions’ new stadium fell 150 feet to his death Tuesday when his hydraulic lift tipped over.

Gjon Gojcaj, 42, fell into the first tier of seats at Ford Field, cousin Jason Gojcaj said.

Police Lt. Janice Butler confirmed the death of a worker at the stadium but didn’t release further details.

Brian Dye, a painter at Ford Field who works for a different company, said the lift tipped over and the basket Gojcaj was in fell into the seats upside down.

Construction was shut down for the day and was to resume today.

The 65,000-seat stadium is to open Aug. 24 when the Lions play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in an exhibition game.

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Larry Feldman, an attorney for the Oakland Raiders, said the team will seek a new trial in its $1.2 billion conspiracy lawsuit against the NFL because of alleged juror misconduct during last year’s trial in Los Angeles.

Superior Court Judge Richard Hubbell, who presided over that trial, will consider the Raiders’ claim during a hearing on Sept. 18.

The Raiders alleged in their lawsuit that they were forced to move back to Oakland after the NFL scuttled team plans to build a stadium at Hollywood Park.

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Kansas City offensive lineman John Tait was led off the field at River Falls, Wis., after being cut during a fight with rookie defensive end Eddie Freeman.... Chief tight end Tony Gonzalez had a phone conversation with team President Carl Peterson but remains a no-show at training camp. The impasse started over money, but has escalated into Peterson’s demand that Gonzalez give up his pursuit of a career in basketball.

San Diego General Manager John Butler said he’ll continue to run the Chargers while battling lung cancer.... New York Jet quarterback Vinny Testaverde banged his right thumb on a teammate’s helmet and had to leave morning practice. Testaverde said there was no major damage, but he is expected to miss a few days of practice as a precaution.

Seattle signed top draft pick Jerramy Stevens, a tight end from Washington, to a five-year contract worth about $6.2 million.... Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, Tennessee’s No. 1 draft choice, agreed to a five-year, $8.3-million contract.... Left tackle Jeff Backus, expected to be a key to Detroit’s offensive line, left camp after injuring his left knee. An MRI determined that Backus had a bone bruise.... Running back Luke Staley, a rookie from Brigham Young, had to leave the Lions’ practice after he strained his right knee while running sprints.

Sage Rosenfels, the only holdover quarterback on Washington’s roster, will start the Redskins’ exhibition game against San Francisco on Saturday night in Osaka, Japan.... The Redskins also signed defensive tackle Daryl Gardener, who was released by Miami, to a one-year contract.