By Rick Howlett
Louisville, KY – University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino took the stand today (Wed) in the federal extortion trial of Karen Sypher. The case stems from a sexual liaison at a Louisville restaurant nearly seven years ago.
Pitino told jurors that he first met Sypher at Porcini restaurant on July 31, 2003
after dinner with friends. He said the two remained in the restaurant
bar after closing time and had a brief consensual sexual encounter before Sypher
drove him home.
Pitino contends the extortion took place last year, when Sypher threatened to
go public with allegations that he forced himself on her if he did not meet
certain financial demands.
He said he did give Sypher $3,000 to buy insurance after she
told him she was pregnant, but did not pressure her to get an abortion, as
she has claimed.
There was a standing room only crowd of media and spectators in the federal
courtroom, where cameras and microphones are not permitted.
The trial is expected to continue into next week.