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

DATE: SUNDAY, January 2, 1994                   TAG: 9401020007
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: HAMPTON                                LENGTH: Medium

ATHLETE'S COMPANIONS ALSO HOPE FOR CLEMENCY

Iverson, Samuel Wynn Jr. and Michael Simmons were convicted on charges of maiming by mob in connection with a Feb. 14 fight at a Hampton bowling alley.

Wynn and Simmons have been at the maximum-security Hampton jail since they were sentenced with Iverson on Sept. 8. Both say they have requested transfers to the minimum-security city farm, where Iverson was held, but were not allowed to move.

It appeared they had been overlooked again when Wilder released Iverson on Thursday but did not mention either Simmons or Wynn in his decision. A fourth defendant, Melvin Stephens Jr., who was convicted only of misdemeanors, is out on an appeal bond and attending school in Missouri.

Wilder spokeswoman Lisa Katz said Friday that the governor had received clemency requests from both Simmons and Wynn and was reviewing them. Wilder has not yet made a decision because he got those requests some time after he received Iverson's, Katz said.

Katz added that a decision in their cases was unlikely before Wilder leaves today for a six-day trip to Africa.

Neither Wynn nor Simmons expressed any bitterness toward Iverson for what some have called special treatment accorded the former athletic star at Bethel High School.

"I'm glad Allen is out," Wynn said. As for whether Iverson had received special treatment, he said he felt that way, "but we had to think on the positive. He's out. That might help us."

Simmons said he did not feel that he and Wynn had come out on the short end, even though some inmates at the jail have told Simmons that they did.

"I just told 'em that's just the way things go sometimes," he said.

Simmons and Wynn both said their friendship with Iverson had survived the troubles of the past year.

"I love Allen to death," Simmons said. "I just hope he gets out there and gets his education."

While both are hopeful that Iverson's release is good news for them, Simmons said his hopes have been raised and dashed so many times that "I've stopped building up my hopes."

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.