Pitino arrives at courthouse for extortion trial

Karen Cunagin Sypher, second from left, walks with two unidentified women and her attorney James Earhart as she leaves the federal courthouse in Louisville, Ky., Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010. Sypher was convicted of extortion for demanding millions of dollars from Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino to keep their tryst at a restaurant secret. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

Story Topics

• Law_Crime
• Karen Cunagin Sypher
• Rick Pitino
• Vinnie Tatum
• Margaret Cameron

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LOUISVILLE, KY. (AP) - Jurors in the extortion trial of a former model have heard a lot about the night she met Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino at an Italian restaurant. On Wednesday, they were expected to hear from Pitino himself.

Pitino arrived midday at the federal courthouse on the third day of the trial of Karen Cunagin Sypher, who is charged with trying to extort cash, cars and a house to stay quiet about a sexual liaison. Sypher, 50, has pleaded not guilty.

Tim Coury, the owner of the Italian restaurant where Pitino and Cypher met, told jurors Wednesday that the two were talking and having a drink when it was time for him to close the business for the night.

Coury said he told the two and a Pitino aide to leave through a self-locking door and then went home.

Pitino’s driver, Vinnie Tatum, told jurors that Sypher appeared to have had a few drinks and was “flirty” when she joined Pitino’s group at an Italian restaurant the night of July 31, 2003.

Tatum also said he didn’t see the the coach and former model having sex at a restaurant table but also didn’t hear anything as he sat about 15 feet away behind a brick half-wall.

Tatum said he moved away from the bar area because he felt “uncomfortable” and considered himself “a third party.”

Tatum spent more than an hour behind the wall, “minding my own business.” Tatum stressed he had not been drinking and was awake the entire time.

“I have no idea what happened,” Tatum said.

Tatum didn’t move until Pitino and Sypher left together in her car.

On Tuesday, jurors heard from multiple people who were at the restaurant, Porcini. Pitino has said he had a consensual sexual encounter with Sypher that night on a table after the restaurant closed. Sypher claimed it was rape, a charge dismissed by police and prosecutors as lacking merit.

Jurors on Tuesday heard from multiple witnesses who described Sypher’s efforts to meet Pitino.

Margaret Cameron, a former professional golfer, testified she was having dinner at Porcini that night when she ran into Pitino’s entourage.

Cameron began talking to them about golf. Then, Cameron said, Sypher barged into the group and thrust her cell phone at Pitino asking for the coach to talk to one of her sons.

Cameron described Sypher’s outfit as “flashy” and her attitude as persistent.

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