-- Deepa Bharath BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS...

-- Deepa Bharath

BRIEFLY IN

THE NEWS

Civil trial for Dennis Rodman delayed

The trial in a civil lawsuit accusing Dennis Rodman of raping

former actress Tina New at his West Newport home was continued from

Monday to Jan. 27.

The trial was postponed because the defense needed more time to

conduct further investigation, said New’s attorney, Stephen Tornay.

Rodman’s attorney, John McKay, was not available for comment.

New, a star witness in the trial of Eric Bechler, the 34-year-old

Newport Heights resident now in prison for murdering wife Pegye

during a boating trip off the Newport Beach coast, filed the lawsuit

against Rodman in August 2000, accusing him of drugging and raping

her.

She said in the lawsuit that she was taken against her will to

Rodman’s Seashore Drive home, that Rodman grabbed her “by her hips

and legs, ripped [her] clothing off and began physically throwing her

around.”

Rodman has consistently denied that the alleged Aug. 20, 1999,

incident ever happened. He has also said that he has never met New.

Criminal charges were never filed against the former NBA star because

Newport Beach police said they believed New reported the incident too

late for them to collect the necessary evidence.

Rodman and New have failed to reach a settlement so far. A

court-appointed arbitrator awarded New $225,000, but Rodman declined

that decision.

New helped investigators arrest Bechler by wearing a recording

device and getting a near-confession on tape.

She also testified during the trial and told jurors that after a

night of partying and taking the drug Ecstasy, Bechler narrated in

grisly detail how he hit his wife on the head with a dumbbell,

stuffed her body in trash bags and weighted her into the ocean.