ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 8, 1997 TAG: 9701080041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: FORT WORTH, TEXAS
SOURCE: Associated Press
DALLAS POLICE REPORTEDLY have nothing physical to link the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver to an alleged rape.
Dallas Police have found no physical evidence to link Michael Irvin to an alleged sexual assault, a source familiar with the case told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
``There are no Michael Irvin fingerprints,'' the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper in Tuesday's editions.
But the woman who accused Irvin and Dallas Cowboys teammate Erik Williams of sexual assault had bruises on her back and thighs consistent with such an attack, the official said. Doctors at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas also found ``bruising that's not consistent with voluntary sex,'' the source said.
The 23-year-old woman accused Williams and another man of raping her at Williams' home Dec. 29 while Irvin held her at gunpoint. She said Irvin videotaped portions of the alleged attack.
Williams and Irvin have denied the allegations. No one has been charged, and the identity of the other man purportedly involved has not been released. Police have not commented on the investigation since a news conference at which detectives outlined the accusation.
Police Chief Ben Click defended the department's actions, saying the complaint contained the players' names and was public information.
``I think we handled the investigation appropriately,'' Click said Monday.
LENGTH: Short : 39 lines KEYWORDS: FOOTBALLby CNB