Ky. woman enters not guilty plea to new charges in Rick Pitino extortion case
By APTuesday, December 22, 2009
Woman pleads not guilty to charges in Pitino case
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A woman has pleaded not guilty to new charges, including retaliating against a witness, related to an alleged extortion attempt of University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.
Karen Cunagin Sypher’s attorney, James Earhart, entered the not guilty plea Tuesday, a month after a federal grand jury handed up a second indictment against her.
The new charges stem from a police report Sypher filed accusing Pitino of raping her. The FBI, Louisville police and prosecutors have said there was no basis for her rape allegations.
Sypher entered not guilty pleas in May to charges of trying to extort money from Pitino and lying to the FBI. She is accused of demanding college tuition for her children, her house to be paid off and $10 million.
