
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 23, 1993                   TAG: 9311230178
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.                                LENGTH: Medium

BOBBITT DENIES HE FATHERED N.Y. BABY

John Bobbitt, whose wife cut off his penis because of alleged sexual abuse, denies he is the father of another woman's child and will undergo a blood test, an attorney said Monday.

Beatrice Williams, 21, of Lewiston, near Niagara Falls, is suing Bobbitt for child support, claiming he is the father of her 11-month-old son.

A preliminary hearing on the case in Niagara County Family Court in Niagara Falls had been scheduled for today. Family Court Judge Spencer Lerch agreed to let Williams' and Bobbitt's attorneys present their arguments by telephone instead.

The hearing was unnecessary, Williams' attorney said, and would have exposed Williams to the sort of media scrutiny that Bobbitt and his wife, Lorena, have received since Bobbitt's penis was cut off June 23 at their Manassas, Va., home.

"Why bring her in there, parade her in front of a media circus for less than five minutes in court?" said William Berard III, Williams' lawyer. "We were able to resolve what we needed to by phone and protect her privacy."

Williams said she and Bobbitt had an affair between March and May 1992, while Bobbitt was visiting Niagara Falls, his hometown. Her son, Andrew, was born Dec. 30.

Michael Iacono, Bobbitt's attorney, said his client knew Williams but was not the baby's father. Iacono would not say if Bobbitt and Williams were sexually involved.

"We're denying paternity, and we'll wait to see what the blood test comes up with," Iacono said.

The blood test probably will be done in January, Iacono said.

Williams said she listed Bobbitt as the father on the baby's birth certificate. She said she had been unable to tell Bobbitt about the child because she lost touch with him after he went home to Virginia.

Williams learned of his whereabouts because of publicity surrounding the Bobbitts.

Lorena Bobbitt said she cut off her husband's penis because he sexually assaulted her. John Bobbitt, 26, was acquitted of that charge Nov. 11.

Bobbitt's penis has been surgically reattached.

Lorena Bobbitt is scheduled to go on trial Monday on a charge of malicious wounding, but the trial may be delayed to evaluate her psychiatric tests.

by CNB