In Brief | Nation and World
Aaron Hernandez’s probable cause hearing delayed
ATTLEBORO, Mass. — A judge on Wednesday gave prosecutors more time to present evidence to a grand jury in their murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.
Hernandez was in court for what was supposed to be a probable cause hearing, but prosecutors said the grand jury is still considering the evidence against him.
Judge Daniel O’Shea considered defense objections to a delay but decided to reschedule the hearing for Aug. 22. Hernandez will continue to be held without bail until then.
Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of Odin Lloyd, a 27-year-old Boston semi-professional football player whose body was found June 17 in an industrial park near Hernandez’s home. He had been shot five times.
Bristol County Assistant District Attorney William McCauley said additional evidence includes boxes of ammunition found at a condominium Hernandez leased and a magazine for a .45-caliber Glock in a Hummer registered to him. Authorities say Lloyd was killed with a .45-caliber gun, though it apparently has not been recovered. McCauley said the ammunition box had Hernandez’s fingerprints on it.
Jerry Tarkanian wrapping up stint in hospital
LAS VEGAS — Former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian was wrapping up an 11-day stay in a San Diego-area hospital after suffering artery blockages and having a pacemaker installed.
The 82-year-old coach’s son, Danny Tarkanian, told The Associated Press his father was set to leave Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla on Wednesday. He planned to return to his San Diego-area condominium, a part-time home where he receives in-house nursing care.
“He’s doing well and we’re glad to get him back home,” said the younger Tarkanian.
In addition to the pacemaker, the former coach had some stents put in, his son said.
The stay marked the latest in a spate of hospitalizations in recent years for Tarkanian.
He suffered a heart attack on March 20, 2012, during a doctor’s visit, and spent time in the hospital last November, according to his son.
Tarkanian won 784 games in his career, 509 of them at UNLV. The Runnin’ Rebels won at least 20 games every year but one in his 19 years at UNLV, including the national championship in 1990.
Revis cleared to join Buccaneers in practice
TAMPA, Fla. — Darrelle Revis is expected on the practice field when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers open training camp.
The three-time All-Pro cornerback who’s the centerpiece of an effort to overhaul the NFL’s worst pass defense has been cleared medically to participate in some activities after missing most of last season with the New York Jets following surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
The Bucs obtained Revis from the Jets in exchange for the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft, then signed him to a six-year, $96 million contract.
Tampa Bay reported for camp Wednesday. The first practice is Thursday, when Revis will be limited.
“He’ll be out there tomorrow,” coach Greg Schiano said. “With all the injured guys, we have individual plans for them. Darrelle is going to do some stuff, but he isn’t going to do everything.”
Tampa Bay was last in pass defense a year ago, coming within 38 yards of allowing the most yards passing in league history.
Bucs place RB Demps on reserve/did not report list
TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have placed Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps on the reserve/did not report list.
The Bucs reported to training camp Wednesday. They begin practice Thursday.
Demps was obtained from New England in a trade that sent running back LeGarrette Blount to the Patriots in April. The former Florida running back was a silver medalist as part of the United States’ 400 relay team at the 2012 London Games.
Demps was not selected in the 2012 draft because he told teams he wanted to focus on his track career. He later signed with New England, but did not appear in any games.
The Bucs signed guard Jeremy Lewis on Wednesday and said punter Michael Koenen was placed on the active/non-football injury list with a toe injury.
New ESPN sports docs include ‘Tonya and Nancy’
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The knee whack heard ‘round the world will be revisited near the 20th anniversary of the rivalry between Olympic figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding, as one of six new documentaries on ESPN’s “30 for 30” series.
The series’ second season begins Oct. 1 with “Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau,” about the big wave surfer and lifeguard.
It wraps up Nov. 5 with “Tonya and Nancy,” a look back at the Jan. 6, 1994, incident in which Kerrigan was clubbed on the knee after practice for the U.S. championships in a plot masterminded by Harding’s ex-husband. The film includes new interviews with Harding and people close to Kerrigan.
ESPN Films Vice President Connor Schell said Wednesday that they’re still trying to persuade Kerrigan to do an interview. She has mostly shunned the spotlight to focus on raising her family.
Mardy Fish falls to Michael Russell in Atlanta
ATLANTA — Mardy Fish took a hit in his gradual return to full-time tennis Wednesday night in the Atlanta Open, falling 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 to Michael Russell in a rain-delayed first-round match that began Tuesday.
It was only Fish’s fourth match since the U.S. Open in September when he withdrew before a fourth-round match against Roger Federer because of an irregular heartbeat.
Ranked No. 13 in the world last July, the sixth-seeded Fish — the Atlanta Open winner in 2010 and ‘11 – fell to 1-3 this season. He’s ranked No. 63 after his first match since losing in a lower-level ATP Challenger tournament in April.
Seventh-seeded Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the quarterfinals with a deceivingly difficult 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over wild-card entry Rhyne Williams. Hewitt trailed 2-6 in the tiebreaker before winning six straight points, and only broke serve in the second set in the deciding game.
Cirstea, Lepchenko reach quarterfinals at Stanford
STANFORD, Calif. — Fifth-seeded Sorana Cirstea beat American Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday in the second round of the Bank of the West Classic.
The 32nd-ranked Cirstea, Romania’s second-ranked player, reached the semifinals last year. She’ll meet unseeded Olga Govortsova in the quarterfinal. Govortsova upset second-seeded Samantha Stosur.
Vandeweghe, who reached the final last year, went through qualifying to gain a spot in the main draw.
No. 6 Varvara Lepchenko also advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Austria’s Tamira Paszek.
The 40th-ranked Lepchenko reached her second quarterfinal of the season. The American will face the winner of late match between top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska and Francesca Schiavone.
Fognini, Klizan at Croatia Open quarterfinals
UMAG, Croatia — Third-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy and sixth-seeded Martin Klizan of Slovenia advanced to the quarterfinals of the Croatia Open on Wednesday.
Fognini defeated Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands 7-5, 6-3, and Klizan rallied to beat Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3).
Fognini made several unforced errors at the start of the match to hand de Bakker a 5-1 lead, but then won nine consecutive games to take control.
Fognini earned his 11th consecutive singles victory, after winning titles in Stuttgart and Hamburg.
From wire sources