Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 7, 1992 TAG: 9202070224
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS LENGTH: Medium
ACCUSER'S MOTIVES ATTACKED
The beauty pageant contestant who accuses Mike Tyson of rape said she wanted to go out with him because he was rich and dumb, another contestant testified in court Thursday." `You see what Robin Givens got out of him,' " Madelyn Whittington recalled the woman as saying moments after Tyson asked her for a date during the Miss Black America contest.
The former heavyweight boxing champion divorced actress Givens after a stormy eight-month marriage in 1988. Their divorce decree came in June 1989. Neither side disclosed settlement terms, but lawyers said Givens would keep jewelry, several automobiles and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Another contestant testifying for the defense, Parquita Nassau, said she heard one of the accuser's friends say of Tyson, " `Here comes your husband, but he can't talk too well.' " She said Tyson's accuser replied, " `He'll make all the money, and I'll do all the talking.' "
Whittington, 20, testified for the defense that she ran into Tyson's accuser in the bathroom after the boxer had appeared at a pageant rehearsal on July 18.
"She told me Mike Tyson had asked her out, and I said, `Are you going?' And she said very excitedly, `Yes, of course! This is Mike Tyson. He's got a lot of money. He's dumb,' " Whittington told the court.
On cross-examination, she admitted she might have told prosecutors that she merely had the impression that Tyson's accuser wanted to be like Givens but had never actually said so. But Whittington explained she mentioned only her impression, rather than the remarks she heard, because she was scared and didn't want to get involved.
She also said that later, at the pageant's opening ceremonies, Tyson addressed several of the contestants by saying, " `You want to come to my room? You want to party? I know I'm not going to get nothing, but I'm going to ask anyway.' "
She could not say, however, that Tyson's accuser heard his remarks. The defense has argued that the woman should have known by the fighter's behavior with the contestants that he was interested in sex.
Tyson's trial resumed after a one-day interruption caused by a fatal fire at the hotel where the jury was sequestered. The judge and trial lawyers questioned jurors for nearly three hours whether they were too shaken or fearful to continue serving because of Wednesday's pre-dawn fire.
One juror was excused from service and replaced with an alternate. Prosecutors said the juror asked to be removed, but provided no details.