Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Attorney: Clarett receives death threat
COLUMBUS (AP) — A postcard with a taped-on, typewritten message threatening jailed ex-Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett was sent to a law office representing him in two criminal cases, his attorney said Tuesday.
Michael Hoague, one of Clarett's attorneys, talked about the message in a phone interview just before a judge handling robbery charges against Clarett said likely will prohibit Clarett and his attorneys from talking to the media.
Hoague did not say what the threat received Monday entailed, but said it was sent from Los Angeles. Clarett, who was arrested last week after he was caught with four loaded guns following a police chase, has received threats before, Hoague said.
"We don't know quite what to make of it," Hoague said of the threat, which was typed on a sheet of paper, cut out and then put on the postcard. "It's very cryptic."
Clarett, who scored the winning touchdown for the Buckeyes in the 2002 national championship game, is jailed without bond and met with a psychologist Monday as part of a mental health evaluation ordered by the Judge David Fais.
"He's been in very good spirits," Hoague said. "He's basically sitting in his cell, doing sit-ups and push-ups and reading the Bible, all day long."
Fais said a gag order likely will be necessary because of all the national media coverage of Clarett since his arrest after the chase when police say they had to use pepper spray to subdue him. He said he will issue his decision in the next few days.
"This case will be tried in the courtroom and not in some newspaper or radio station or TV station or in some national publication," he said.
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