Venezuelan boxing champ hangs self in jail

Sporting news from ESPN…

Former boxing champion Edwin Valero, who gained fame for knocking out all his 27 opponents and having a tattoo of Hugo Chavez on his chest, was found dead in his jail cell Monday and police said he hanged himself after being arrested in his wife’s murder.

The former lightweight champion used his own clothes to hang himself from a bar in his cell early Monday, Venezuelan Federal Police Chief Wilmer Flores told reporters. Valero’s lawyer, Milda Mora, confirmed that Valero had committed suicide saying he used the sweat pants he was wearing.

Flores said Valero was found by another inmate, who alerted authorities in the police lockup in north-central Carabobo state. Valero still showed signs of life when they took him down, but they were unable to save him and he died about 1:30 a.m. ET, Flores said.

The 28-year-old was detained Sunday on suspicion of stabbing his wife to death. Prosecutors said Sunday night that they had planned to charge Valero in the killing.

Valero was detained after police found the body of his 24-year-old wife in a hotel in Valencia. The boxer left the hotel room and allegedly told security he had killed Jennifer Carolina Viera, Flores said.

The fighter was a household name in Venezuela and had a huge image of President Chavez tattooed on his chest along with the country’s yellow, blue and red flag.

His all-action style and 27-0 record — all by knockouts — earned him a reputation as a tough, explosive crowd-pleaser. Venezuelans called him “Inca,” alluding to an Indian warrior, while elsewhere he was called “Dinamita,” or dynamite.

The death is the third high-profile reported suicide of a former boxing champion in the past year.

Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello, the mayor of Managua, Nicaragua, was found dead at his home last July of a gunshot wound to the chest. A few weeks later, Arturo Gatti was found strangled in the Brazilian resort town of Porto de Galinhas. His wife was arrested as the prime suspect in the death, but authorities later ruled that he committed suicide — a ruling Gatti’s surviving family has disputed.

The former WBA super featherweight and WBC lightweight champion had been in trouble with the law before.

Last month, Valero was charged with harassing his wife and threatening medical personnel who treated her at a hospital in the western city of Merida. Police arrested Valero following an argument with a doctor and nurse at the hospital, where his wife was being treated for a series of injuries, including a punctured lung and broken ribs.

The Attorney General’s Office said in a statement that Valero was detained March 25 on suspicion of assaulting his wife, but his wife told a police officer her injuries were due to a fall. When the boxer arrived moments later, he forbade Viera from speaking to the police officer, and spoke threateningly to the officer, prosecutors said in a statement.

A prosecutor had asked a court to keep Valero in jail but that the judge instead allowed him to remain free under certain conditions, the Attorney General’s Office said.

Mora, his lawyer, told The Associated Press the fighter had been assigned police escorts to prevent any problems with his wife, but that he evaded them.

Jose Castillo, Valero’s manager, criticized authorities for failing to act more forcefully to prevent the killing.

“I asked the authorities not to let him out. He needed a lot of help. He was very bad in the head,” Castillo told reporters. “But they let him out. They were very permissive with him and because of that, we’re now in the middle of this tragedy.”

Mora, however, said Valero “didn’t accept the help the government gave him.”

“He was the only one responsible,” Mora said, adding that the government had arranged for Valero to attend a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program in Cuba. He had missed a flight to the island earlier this month and was scheduled to fly there soon, she said.

The fighter’s 8-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter are staying with their grandmother, she said.

Before his death, photographs showed Valero being led in handcuffs through the jail, then shielding his face by pulling down his cap.

While police suspected Valero was battering his wife, “the only person who could report it was her, and she told her family that he never hit her,” Mora said. “She wanted help for him.”

Valero also “adored his wife,” Mora said. “We were very close to him and we knew there could be this sort of outcome because when he became conscious of what he really had done, he wasn’t going to be able to bear not being close to Carolina.”

In the ring, Valero’s fists carried him from poverty to fame. He won his first 18 fights by first-round knockout, setting a record that has since been eclipsed by Tyrone Brunson. Valero last fought in February, defeating Antonio DeMarco in Monterrey, Mexico.

He was replaced as WBC lightweight champion in February after he expressed a desire to campaign in a higher weight division, WBC president Jose Sulaiman said.

Valero was involved in a motorcycle accident in 2001 that caused a cerebral hemorrhage, and because most jurisdictions refuse to license a fighter who has sustained a brain injury, he was unable to fight in the United States. The boxer wound up fighting mainly in Japan and Latin America, where he won his first title in 2006.

Valero also was charged with drunken driving in Texas, which is the primary reason he was denied a U.S. visa.

He accused the U.S. government of discrimination, saying his application wasn’t approved because of his sympathy for Chavez, a fierce critic of the U.S. government.

He appeared at times as a special guest at televised events hosted by Chavez and was lionized by Chavez supporters as a national hero, while some critics accused him of avoiding punishment for past problems due to close links to the government.

Former Rocket convicted of burglary

This comes to us from the Houston Chronicle…

LEBANON, Ohio — Former NBA player Kirk Snyder was convicted Thursday of breaking into a neighbor’s home in the middle of the night and beating him up in his bedroom.

A Warren County jury found the 26-year-old former University of Nevada star guilty of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and assault. The jury had deliberated for less than a day following testimony in the trial, which began Monday.

Snyder broke into the home of dentists Brad and Eugenia Roberts in Deerfield Township, north of Cincinnati, on March 30, 2009. He smashed their rear French doors with a landscape rock and charged through the house to the master bedroom, shoving Eugenia Roberts aside before pummeling Brad Roberts with his fists and then with an alarm clock, prosecutors said. He could receive up to 18 years in prison at his sentencing next month.

Snyder was the 16th player taken in the 2004 NBA draft. He played for the Utah Jazz, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves between 2004 and 2008 and then played a season in China.

Snyder has been treated for mental illness and had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

On Wednesday, Dr. Mel Nizny, who saw Snyder in jail a week after the attack, testified that Snyder, who suffers from bipolar disorder, psychosis and paranoia, is not legally responsible for his actions.

“He starts hitting Dr. Roberts, for what reason? He has no clue,” Nizny testified for the defense. “He doesn’t know why. There was no provocation.”

Nizny said that in his first meeting with Snyder the former pro basketball player didn’t want to talk to him.

“He was not in touch with reality,” Nizny said. “He barely knew he was in the jail or why he was there.”

The prosecution’s expert, Dr. Kim Stookey, testified that she found Snyder was not insane when he attacked his neighbor. Stookey said he went in by the back door away from view, cinched his hooded sweat shirt over his face to disguise his identity and fled the scene to avoid detection. Those actions, she said, prove he knew what he was doing was wrong.

Snyder moved to his posh town house in Deerfield Township in September 2008 after his wife kicked him out of their farm house in Bethel and just before he went to play basketball in China. He returned from China last March, meeting the Robertses a couple of days before the break-in.

Cleveland DT busted carrying loaded gun into airport

Sporting news from the AP and the Houston Chronicle…

CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers was arrested Thursday at Hopkins International Airport after a loaded gun was found in his carry-on luggage.

Rogers, who had been at the team’s suburban training facility in recent days taking part in a voluntary offseason program, was stopped at a security checkpoint on Concourse C when officials spotted a loaded .45-caliber handgun in his bag, police said in a statement.

He was arrested at 12:15 p.m. “without incident,” transferred to a downtown processing center and booked for carrying a concealed weapon, a third-degree felony.

Sgt. Sammy Morris of the Cleveland Police Department said Rogers was still being held in the city’s jail Thursday night.

No charges have been filed yet, police said, though the 31-year-old Rogers could face federal fines for carrying the firearm.

It’s not yet clear what Rogers, who lives in Houston during the offseason, told officials about the gun or whether he has a permit for it. It’s also unclear whether he was traveling with anyone.

Browns president Mike Holmgren issued a statement saying the team was aware of Rogers’ arrest.

“We will continue to gather additional information, and until the legal process has taken its course, we will reserve any further comment,” the statement said.

A message seeking comment was left with Rogers’ agent, Kennard McGuire.

Beyond his legal problems, Rogers, arguably the Browns’ best player, will likely face league penalties if it is determined he violated the NFL’s player-conduct policy.

A three-time Pro Bowler who has played two seasons with the Browns, Rogers missed Cleveland’s final five games last season after breaking his leg on Nov. 29 against Cincinnati. He was acquired by the Browns in 2008 in a trade with Detroit for cornerback Leigh Bodden and a third-round draft pick.

Rogers came to the Browns with a spotty reputation. He was suspended for four games in 2006 for taking a banned substance to control his weight. In 2007, an exotic dancer claimed he inappropriately touched her at a club in Detroit, but an investigation cleared him.

The Lions also had issues with Rogers’ weight and his commitment.

Rogers made the Pro Bowl in his first season with Cleveland, recording 4 1/2 sacks and 81 tackles in 16 games. Blessed with amazing quickness for a man his size, Rogers has also excelled in blocking field goals and extra points. Before getting hurt last season, Rogers blocked one field goal — the 13th of his career — and two extra points.

Rogers and Browns coach Eric Mangini got off to a rough start before last season. Rogers had felt slighted when Mangini, weeks after being hired by Cleveland, did not acknowledge him at an awards banquet at a downtown hotel. Rogers reportedly asked to be traded, but the two met and patched up any differences and Mangin often praised Rogers, known to his teammates as “Big Baby,” for his leadership last season.

Former pitcher Doc Gooden busted for DWI

Sporting news brought to us by the New York Post and Fox News…

Former Mets and Yankee ace Dwight “Doc” Gooden was busted for DWI in New Jersey with a kid in his car after cops responded to a 911 call of a car accident involving two cars.

Gooden, 45, was arrested Tuesday in Franklin Lakes at about 8:50 a.m. after getting into the crash while under the influence of drugs, Deadspin.com reported.

Gooden, who has previously served time behind bars on a cocaine conviction, was released on his own recognizance.

The Mets invited Gooden to spring training this season to serve as an advisor.

Cops said Gooden was arrested and charged with multiple crimes including, driving while under the influence of drugs, being under the Influence of a controlled dangerous substance, endangering the welfare of a child, DWI with a child passenger, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, reckless driving, failure to keep right and failure to notify change of address regarding driver’s license.

Gooden has a storied history of substance abuse dating back to his playing days in the late ’80s.

In 1986, Gooden was arrested and pleaded no contest to battery on an officer and resisting arrest with violence after scuffle with Tampa police officers; sentenced to three years’ probation

A year later, he tested positive for cocaine at training camp and goes to drug rehab for 28 days.

In 1992, Gooden was one of three players accused of raping 31-year-old woman a year earlier at a home he rented for training camp. The charge is later dropped

Two years later, he was suspended for 60 days after violating drug program by failing two drug tests. he later checked into Betty Ford Center, but failed more tests after returning. As a result, Major League Baseball’s executive committee suspended him for the 1995 season

In 2002, Gooden pleaded guilty to reduced charge of reckless driving after he was arrested in Tampa. A year later, he was busted for driving with a suspended license after a traffic stop in Tampa.

Duck QB sacked with burglary charge

This comes to us from Yahoo! Sports…

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who helped lead the Ducks to the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl berth last season, faces a burglary charge in connection with a theft at a campus fraternity house in late January.

The Lane Country district attorney’s office says Masoli and former Oregon receiver Garrett Embry were each charged Wednesday with one count of burglary in the second degree.

Masoli and Embry were scheduled to be arraigned in Lane County Circuit Court on Friday afternoon.

The district attorney’s office did not respond to a phone call seeking further comment on the case. In a statement Wednesday evening, Oregon coach Chip Kelly said he was “carefully considering the latest news” concerning Masoli and would make a decision about disciplinary action on Friday.

A fraternity member reported that Masoli and Embry stole two computers and a guitar from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house on Jan. 25.

Police were tightlipped about the alleged theft, claiming it was under investigation.

The Ducks announced in early February that Embry had been dismissed from the team a month before for violating team rules unrelated to the alleged theft.

Masoli, who came to the Ducks as a junior college transfer out of Daly City, Calif., threw for 2,147 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 668 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Oregon made a remarkable comeback from a season-opening loss to Boise State to win its first Pac-10 title since 2001 and earn its first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1995. Oregon came up short in Pasadena, losing 26-17 to Ohio State.

Embry appeared in 11 games last season, mostly on special teams.

Was he playing “high post?”

Sports news comes to us from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune…

Minnesota Timberwolves basketball player Al Jefferson was arrested and booked into jail early this morning for allegedly driving drunk, according to jail records.

Jefferson, a center-forward, was arrested by the State Patrol and was brought to the Hennepin County Jail at 2:12 a.m., the jail records show. He was arrested on a charge of fourth degree driving while impaired, according to the log.

He was released at 3:19 a.m.

He is scheduled for a court appearance on April 23.

The arrest came after the Timberwolves lost to the Portland Trail Blazers at Target Center, 110-91. Jefferson, a 6-10 center-forward, led the Wolves in scoring with 19 points, and in playing time, with 30 minutes. (The jail log listed him at 6-9.)

Duck, duck, gotcha!

This comes to us from The Oregonian…

Mere hours after Oregon coach Chip Kelly answered questions about his team’s slew of off-field troubles, Ducks linebacker Kiko Alonso was picked up for drunk driving.

“If a player doesn’t live up to the standards we have for the football program, then they’re not going to be here,” Kelly said Friday. “But I’m also not going to follow our kids around every Friday or Saturday night so I can see what happened to them.”

Kelly almost made it through Friday night, but at 2:19 a.m. on Saturday morning, Alonso was stopped at the 7-Eleven on East Broadway in Eugene and cited for DUII.

Alonso, an athletic linebacker who will be a redshirt sophomore this fall, had 15 tackles in 11 games in 2009 and forced one fumble, playing primarily middle linebacker behind starter Casey Matthews. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder from Los Gatos, Calif., is also a regular special teams player for the Ducks.

Cops bust flea market vendors selling fake jerseys

Sports and fashion news from The Columbus (OH) Dispatch…

MONROE, Ohio   – Police have blitzed flea market vendors accused of selling counterfeit pro football jerseys in southwest Ohio.

An investigator for the NFL helped Monroe police in a raid Sunday that police said resulted in seizure of more than 2,100 bogus jerseys. They were being sold at four booths at Traders World, just off Interstate 75.

Police said they will seek felony trademark counterfeiting charges against the vendors involved.

Cowboys’ fullback can’t outrun the law

Sports news from the AP and Fox Sports…

Dallas Cowboys fullback Deon Anderson is free on his own recognizance after his arrest at a suburban restaurant parking lot.

The incident happened early Tuesday in the Dallas suburb of Addison. A statement issued by the town of Addison says police answered an aggravated assault report and learned of a confrontation between several men and a parking valet.

Police arrested the 27-year-old Anderson on outstanding traffic warrants from Irving, another Dallas suburb. Also arrested was his 25-year-old brother, Devon Anderson, on a public intoxication charge.

Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple says team officials are aware of the incident and are investigating.

Deon Anderson played 16 games in his third season, including nine starts, making one catch for 5 yards.

Washington lineman arrested for PI in Iowa

Sports news from ESPN and the AP…

DES MOINES, Iowa – Washington Redskins guard Chad Rinehart has been arrested on public intoxication charges in Iowa after he pulled on a locked door at a pizza restaurant.

University of Northern Iowa police spokesman Dave Zariffs says officers responded to a door alarm at Mojo’s Pizza House in Cedar Falls about 2 a.m. on Monday. When they arrived they found Rinehart pulling on a locked door.

A police report says Rinehart, who played at Northern Iowa from 2004-07, appeared to be intoxicated. Rinehart refused a breath test and was arrested.

Rinehart was taken to the Black Hawk County jail and released by court order.

Rinehart is a native of Boone, Iowa. He made four starts for the Redskins last season before breaking his right leg.

The team issued a statement saying it was “aware of this incident” but had no further comment.