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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 25, 1990                   TAG: 9005250073
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

JUDGE RULES SPIRA WILL BE TRIED IN NY

A Florida judge has moved Howard Spira's trial to Manhattan, giving the admitted gambler the home-field advantage in his battle against charges he tried to extort money from New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

"I feel so confident now that I could get a jury of 12 Yankees to acquit my client," said attorney David S. Greenfield, who represents Spira, after learning about the legal victory Thursday.

U.S. District Judge William J. Castagna, in a ruling issued Friday, approved Greenfield's motion for a change of venue to New York. Spira, 30, lives in The Bronx.

Spira is charged in an eight-count indictment with trying to extort money from Steinbrenner, and with threatening to harm Steinbrenner and former Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield.

Steinbrenner paid Spira $40,000 on Jan. 8. The Yankees' owner initially said he gave Spira the money "out of the goodness of my heart," but later claimed he paid the money to stop Spira from disclosing embarrassing information about former Yankees employees.

by CNB