Memphis signee Williams arraigned on six felonies
Due to security concerns cited by his attorney, high school basketball star and Memphis signee Mikey Williams appeared via video conference for his arraignment Thursday on six felony charges of assault with a firearm. His attorney entered pleas of not guilty on Williams' behalf.
Williams faces five charges of assault with a weapon and one count of firing into an occupied vehicle. He could get up to 28 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Williams spoke only a few times, answering, “Yes, sir,” when asked by Superior Court Judge Louis R. Hanoian if he understood his rights and when he was told he couldn't possess guns or ammunition as a condition of remaining free on a $50,000 bond.
The March 27 shooting happened at the $1.2 million home Williams purchased in unincorporated Jamul in eastern San Diego County. An argument just before midnight ended with gunshots being fired at a car that was leaving the house with five passengers inside, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said in a news release. Bullets hit the car; nobody inside was hurt.
The shooting was reported to authorities the next day. Officers executed a search warrant at the home and arrested Williams on April 13.
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said Wednesday in his first media availability since Williams' arrest that he wouldn't speak about the case “out of respect for the ongoing process of what's happening.”
“I mean, I'm gonna continue to recruit. As of right now, Mikey is still with us. That's how I have to keep it until otherwise,” Hardaway added. “That's why I say, I can't really speak on the case. Nothing has happened thus far.”
At the prosecution's request, the court issued protective orders Thursday for the five individuals, including three minors, who were in the car that Williams is accused of firing into on March 27. Williams must stay at least 100 yards from the individuals and not contact or threaten them.
Williams' attorney, Troy P. Owens, said after the brief hearing that he requested for Williams to appear via video conference because of threats “that are public and online.” He declined to give further details.
“We did not want him showing up in person,” Owens said.
Williams is one of the name, image and likeness era's earliest stars, securing a multiyear deal with shoe and athletic apparel maker Puma for an undisclosed amount in 2021. He played his senior year at San Ysidro High School in San Diego and signed with Memphis in November.
Gauff upset in Porsche Grand Prix
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek returned from a rib injury with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 win over Zheng Qinwen to reach the quarterfinals of the Porsche Grand Prix in Germany on Thursday as Coco Gauff suffered an upset loss to Anastasia Potapova.
Swiatek hadn't played since reaching the semifinals at Indian Wells last month and missed the Miami Open as well as Poland's match in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers.
Next up is a quarterfinal meeting with Karolina Pliskova after the Czech player beat Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5).
Potapova beat sixthranked Gauff 6-2, 6-3 in a match where Potapova saved six break points on her own serve and converted three of 13 in Gauff's service games. It was the American's first action since she split with coach Diego Moyano, citing personal reasons on Moyano's part.
U.S. defender Scally extends German pact
United States defender Joe Scally, of Long Island, N.Y., has extended his contract to stay at German club Borussia Mönchengladbach through the 2026-27 season. Gladbach said in a statement Thursday that the 20-year-old Scally extended his deal by one year.
“Joe has developed really well with us,” Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus said.
Scally joined Gladbach from New York City FC in January 2021 and played 15 times the club's under-23s in the fourth division. He made his Bundesliga debut in a 1-1 draw with defending champion Bayern Munich in August 2021 and has since made 56 league appearances for the team, as well as five in the German Cup.
“The most important thing for me is to be playing regularly,” said Scally, who has made four appearances for the United States. “Borussia give me the chance to do that and help my development as a player. The club presented me with a clear plan regarding my future.”
Protestors in London don't plan to agitate
Environmental protesters are not planning to disrupt the London Marathon on Sunday after two other big sporting events in Britain were targeted by activists over the past week.
Extinction Rebellion, a climate activism group, is staging a four-day protest outside Parliament Square in London starting today, but has been in talks with marathon director Hugh Brasher since November to ensure minimal disruption on the day of the race.
“It's our intention to facilitate the marathon to take place smoothly,” Extinction Rebellion said on Thursday.
Brasher previously said Extinction Rebellion would be asking its activists to “help guard the London Marathon” and called on other environmental groups such as Just Stop Oil to let the race take place free from protests.
A Just Stop Oil protester interrupted a match at the world snooker championship on Monday by jumping on the table and releasing a packet of orange powder, causing play to be suspended. On Saturday, the Grand National horse race was delayed after animal rights activists scaled fences around the perimeter of Aintree racecourse near Liverpool and got onto the track.