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Three NBA players go on trial this morning for an alleged assault against two women and two men outside a downtown strip club two years ago.
Crown prosecutor Darren Hogan presented the witness list for the trial, which is expected to last four days before Provincial Court Judge William Bassel.
The three accused -- Gary Payton, Sam Cassell and Jason Caffey -- were not in court yesterday, the Fourth of July holiday in the United States, but their lawyer, Edward Greenspan, said they will be in court this morning. They were teammates on the National Basketball Association's Milwaukee Bucks when the incident occurred outside For Your Eyes Only strip club on April 11, 2003.
Toronto Police Sergeant Jim Muscat said at the time that the alleged assault was the result of an escalation of incidents that occurred at about 2:30 a.m., after the Bucks had defeated the Raptors 105-103.
According to Sgt. Muscat, one of the players got into an argument with one of the two women, both of whom had been employed by the club at some point, and the situation escalated when the woman's boyfriend became involved. Two players who had been waiting for their teammate in a cab left the vehicle and joined the altercation, as did the club doorman.
The three were formally charged on April 21, 2003.
Mr. Payton, 37, who now plays for the Boston Celtics, is charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm to Adrian Cimpean and two counts of assault against the two women, Vida Asante and Charmain Thompson.
Mr. Cassell, 36, who is with the Minnesota Timberwolves, faces one count of assault causing bodily harm to Mr. Cimpean and one of assault against Craig Broda, a witness whom Mr. Hogan said police were trying to locate. Mr. Caffey, 32, now a free agent, faces one count of assault causing bodily harm to Mr. Cimpean.
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