2 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN INVESTIGATION
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2005
Moon Bar case now in hands of District Attorney
By Liz NARTOWICZ
inartowicz@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
The Lawrence Police Department concluded its investigation of the May 19 altercation outside the Moon Bar, 821 Iowa.
The police submitted the aggra-
vated battery report to the District
Attorney's Office early Thursday
morning. The report included jun-
ior forward J.R. Giddens, who
suffered a laceration on his right
calf during the incident.
The office will review the report and decide whether charges will be filed, and if
filed, against whom. Five victims were listed in the report including Giddens, 20; Marcus Knight, 29; Derrick Newman, 20; Preston Patterson, 28; and Brandon Waggem, 21.
Jeremiah Creswell, the man who admitted to cutting Giddens and the four other men, was listed in the original report from May 19 as a suspect. Lawrence Capt. Dave Cobb said although Creswell was injured, he was listed as a suspect and not a victim because he did the stabbings. Cobb said he did not know if Creswell was still listed as a suspect.
"By the time it gets charged, everyone could be a victim and a suspect," Cobb said.
Currently Creswell is awaiting his June 23 preliminary hearing on an unrelated matter. Creswell, who is being held at the Johnson County Adult Detention Facility in Olathe, is charged with threatening his mother and uncle with a steak knife. His bail was set at $50,000.
Cobb said it would be weeks before the office made a decision on whether to press charges regarding the May 19 incident. District Attorney Charles Branson will not be able to make any decisions until a trial he is currently involved in is completed, Cobb said.
Cobb said the department did not want to influence a possible future trial. Cobb said he felt confident, however, in the detectives' abilities to sort out witnesses' stories. Detectives interviewed more than 25 witnesses and spent more than 100 hours on the investigation.
As for Giddens, Kansas coach Bill Self said he had not reached a decision on whether Giddens would stay on the team.
— Edited by Erin M. Droste
Van Slyke
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
Even though his dad was a successful Major League player, Van Slyke developed his own drive to be a baseball player. His dad didn't force him into baseball, and it was A.J. who often asked his dad to help, Van Slyke said.
"Growing up as the son of a Major League player, it's in your blood. Baseball is just a part of
your life. You have a different perspective of the game," Van Slyke said. "My dad never told me to play. He never dragged me into the batting cage or took me to work out. I was about 14 when I finally asked him to work with me. I was always the one pulling him into the cage."
The Van Slyke family made history during the draft last week. Scott Van Slyke, A.J.'s younger brother, who just completed high school, was also drafted. He went to the Los Angeles
Dodgers in the 14th round. After researching the topic, the Van Slykes said they believed this to be only the second set of brothers to ever be drafted in the same year.
Van Slyke
Now it is time for Van Slyke to show the Cardinals that they
made the right choice in drafting him. After he packed his car and he was ready to report to Florida, his dad left him with one final thought.
"He told me that I had my opportunity and that my foot was in the door, which is all I wanted," Van Slyke said. "Now it's up to me. If I'm better than the kid next to me, it doesn't matter what round I was drafted in."
— Edited by Erin M. Droste
NBA
NBA increases age limits for players
SAN ANTONIO — The days of jumping from the preps to the pros are almost over.
A one-year increase in the minimum age was part of a new six-year collective bargaining agreement tentatively reached June 21 by owners and players.
Commissioner David Stern and union director Billy Hunter finalized the deal in principle in New York and immediately flew to the NBA Finals to announce it prior to Game 6 between San Antonio and Detroit. The agreement will replace the seven-year pact expiring June 30.
"We're gratified that we were able to avoid a work stoppage," Stern said. "This agreement creates a strong partnership with our players, which is essential for us."
Other facets of the new deal will make trades easier, increase pensions for retired players, impose harsher penalties on drug violators and offer teams the option of sending young players for minor-league seasoning.
The Associated Press
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