Trial begins over teen

and Lawrence Taylor

NEW YORK (AP) — A teenager who has accused former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor of sexually assaulting her when she was 16 cried as she described her encounter with the NFL Hall of Famer at the start of a civil trial.

Taylor has pleaded guilty to having sex with her in 2010. He leaned forward in his chair Tuesday to watch the 19-year-old testify in federal court in Manhattan.

The teen told a jury hearing her lawsuit she didn’t know who Taylor was when she found him naked on a bed in a hotel room in Montebello, just north of New York City. She says another man forced her to have sex with Taylor for $300.

Taylor’s lawyer said in his opening statement Taylor never used violence and thought the girl was sent by a friend who offered “female companionship.”

 

Last-place Marlins

fire Guillen as skipper

MIAMI (AP) — Ozzie Guillen was fired Tuesday after one year as manager of the last-place Miami Marlins, whose promising season began to derail in April when his laudatory comments about Fidel Castro caused a backlash.

Miami’s next manager will be the fifth for owner Jeffrey Loria since early 2010. Two managers he fired made the playoffs this year. The Marlins still owe Guillen $7.5 million for the three years remaining on his contract.

The franchise was supposedly transformed by an offseason spending spree and the move into a new ballpark, and the Marlins expected to contend for a playoff berth.

In spring training, Guillen touted his team as well balanced and ready to win. But a dismal June took the Marlins out of contention for good, and management dismantled the roster in July.

 

O’Leary, UCF eligible

for title, postseason

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Central Florida will be eligible to compete for both the Conference USA championship and a bowl game this season with its appeal of a one-year football postseason ban not scheduled to be heard until next year.

Knights’ coach George O’Leary said Tuesday the NCAA has set the hearing for late January.

The ban was the only penalty UCF challenged as part of sanctions levied in July for major recruiting violations in football and basketball. UCF also received a one-year postseason ban in basketball, $50,000 fine, five years’ probation, reduction of basketball scholarships, and limits on football recruiting.

UCF (5-2, 3-0 C-USA) has accepted all penalties except the football postseason ban. Should UCF lose its appeal, it would serve its football ban in 2013 when it enters the Big East.