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

DATE: FRIDAY, February 1, 1991                   TAG: 9102010331
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WESTHEAD SUES GATHERS FAMILY LAWYER

Former Loyola Marymount coach Paul Westhead filed a $1 million defamation suit, accusing an attorney for Hank Gathers' family of blaming him for the college player's death last year.

"I felt that it was time to stand up and to fight that accusation," said Westhead, who now coaches the Denver Nuggets of the NBA.

Gathers, 23, died March 4, less than two hours after collapsing while playing for Loyola Marymount. Gathers' family has named the university, Westhead and 12 others in a $32.5 million wrongful-death lawsuit in Los Angeles.

"But for the actions of Paul Westhead in the week before Hank Gathers' death, Hank would be alive today," attorney Bruce Fagel is accused of saying during a news conference Jan. 8.

Keywords:
BASKETBALL

by CNB