WAVE 3 - Louisville, KYPitino: ‘I should have never put myself in that situation'

Pitino: ‘I should have never put myself in that situation'

By Connie Leonard - bio | email
Posted by Charles Gazaway - email

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Rick Pitino took the witness stand on day three of the Karen Sypher trial. Pitino told the jury he first met Sypher on that fateful night at Porcini, an Italian restaurant on Frankfort Avenue in Crescent Hill, where he said Sypher approached him before an extremely short sexual encounter, an encounter he deeply regrets.

Pitino said that night at the restaurant he was out celebrating the hiring of then-assistant Reggie Theus.

On the stand, Pitino told the jury he was at the end of the bar at Porcini on July 31, 2003 when Sypher ran up to him with her cell phone and asked him to wish her son happy birthday. Pitino said Sypher flirted with him and started rubbing his leg. At the end of the night, Pitino said Sypher suggested they go to the booth to finish their wine when she opened his pants and asked if he had a condom, warning him she was very fertile.

Pitino testified that scared him and said the sexual encounter lasted all of 15 seconds. When asked what led to the encounter, Pitino said, "Ignorance on my part. I'm a married man; I should have never put myself in that situation."
 
Six years later, Pitino testified that he began getting voice mails from an unknown male. The caller brought up allegations of rape, Sypher's abortion from their encounter and threats to go to the media. The prosecution used Sypher's own secret recordings from a February 2009 meeting with Pitino where she told him she didn't know who was making the calls.

• Sypher: "Don't accuse me."
• Pitino: "Karen, I'm not accusing you."
• Sypher: "If I was going to do this I would have done it a long time ago."

In March 2009, the night before Pitino's University of Louisville Cardinals won the Big East regular season championship at West Virginia, Pitino said Tim Sypher, his basketball equipment manager and Sypher's husband, handed him a handwritten list of demands on U of L letterhead. The following is a transcription of the note containing the list of demands:

1. College education for all 4 boys, Zachary, Jacob, Kaleb & Quade Wise until graduated.
2. Car of my choice & Jacob's choice - Also, all insurance pd. on both for 2 yrs.
3. House - paid off – my choice of movers & all closings covered, etc.
4. $3,000 in cash a month for 5 years for groceries, bills, etc.
5. Annabelle's accounts to be put into Karen Cunagin Syphers' name only.
6. All to begin immediately, starting 3-6-09!! Cash payments to begin this month.
7. When Rick Pitino leaves U of L - a cash payment of $75,000 to be given to me, Karen Cunagin Sypher.

*If all is accepted, I will protect Rick Pintio's name for life.

Karen Cunagin Sypher
3-6-09 1:06 p.m.

Days later, right before the Big East Tourney, Pitino said he got a phone call from Karen Sypher's mother asking why her grandson hadn't gotten his car yet.

Pitino said he got a certified letter dated March 22, 2009 from Dana Kolter, the man was at that time Sypher's attorney. The letter, which was postmarked March 23, 2009, demanded an immediate settlement for Sypher's rape and abortion. Pitino says contacted his attorney and the authorities. According to Pitino, Sypher and Kolter then demanded $10 million, but said they would settle for $5.5 million.

When prosecutors asked Pitino about Sypher's allegations that he raped her twice and forced her to get an abortion, he responded, "absolutely not," and referred to a voice mail he left for Sypher in 2003 telling her the abortion would be her decision. The voice mail, which was played in court, Pitino said in part, "It has to be your call." 

For the first time since the first day of jury selection, Sypher left the U.S. Federal Courthouse Wednesday via the front door and stopped to talk to reporters. When asked how was it, Sypher replied, "It was awesome. I'm stronger than ever and I'm waiting for my day."

When asked what she thought about Pitino's testimony, Sypher would only say, "No comment."

Pitino will be back on the stand Thursday as the defense begins its cross-examination.

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