Players Named In Gang-Rape Lawsuit

Twenty current and former Cincinnati Bengals were named today as defendants in a lawsuit alleging the gang rape of a former Seattle woman at a Tukwila hotel in October of 1990.

Papers made public at the U.S. District Court in Seattle accused 12 players of the most serious charge of battery, which includes the act of rape. Those included current Bengals Barney Bussey, Rickey Dixon, James Francis, David Fulcher, Rodney Holman, Tim McGee, Reggie Rembert and Eric Thomas. Former players named are Lewis Billups, Bernard Clark, Craig Ogletree and Elbert "Ickey" Woods.

In addition, those 11 players - along with Eric Ball, Leo Barker, Eddie Brown, Carl Carter, Harold Green, Mitchell Price, Craig Taylor and Solomon Wilcots - were also accused by the plaintiff of assault, a lesser offense that includes touching, intimidating or using other physical activity. Barker, Carter, Taylor and Wilcots are no longer with the team.

Attorneys for the woman revealed the names despite threats of countersuits if names of the players were added as defendants, along with the Bengals organization, in the civil action.

"These names would not have been placed in print unless we were highly confident their identities were correct," said Richard Eymann, co-counsel for the woman.

No criminal charges have been filed in connection with the alleged rape. The incident was not reported to police at the time.

Victoria Vreeland, co-council for the plaintiff who was

identified only as Victoria C., said there was an agreement in place last week not to release the names publicly until after Sunday's game in Seattle.

"The Bengals did not want adverse publicity while they were in town and we agreed to that," Vreeland said.

Eymann said the woman used pictures and other information to confirm the names and actions of the players. He said putting faces on the various "John Does" took more than four months because she did not want to make mistakes.

All of the players also were accused of aiding and abetting, negligence, racial discrimination, false imprisonment and sexual harassment.

None of the Bengals was immediately available for comment, as no practice was scheduled at Spinney Field in Cincinnati today. The Bengals organization has denied normal media access to the players this week, closing practice and allowing only team employees into the complex.

Several of the accused players, though, were questioned Sunday by The Times after the Bengals played the Seahawks. Each of them was asked whether he was in the room that night, and if he was among the

eight players who received summons Saturday while practicing at the Kingdome.

"I'm not one," said Rembert, 26, a receiver.

"I had nothing to do with that," said McGee, 28, who also is a receiver.

"I don't know anything about it," said Bussey, 30, who Sunday spelled the injured Fulcher, who did not make the trip to Seattle. "I only know what I've heard."

Holman, an 11th-year NFL veteran and former Pro Bowl player, declined comment on all matters related to the lawsuit. McGee threatened legal action against Victoria C. if his name was included among the accused.

Cincinnati-area attorney James Kidney, who says he represents three Bengals, also threatened a lawsuit against Eymann's Spokane firm if his clients were named.

James Perry, a Cincinnati attorney who represents a group of Bengals who paid the woman $30,000 not to talk about the alleged incident, said he refused to give Eymann the names of his clients when Eymann came to Cincinnati looking for information in July.

"We've taken due care in a very time-consuming process to make sure the allegations are provable," Eymann said. "When her story comes out, everyone will know it's true."

Eymann said the former Bengals and team members who did not make the Seattle trip will be served summons within the next two weeks.

Victoria C. will probably have to give her deposition before the Bengals organization officials and each of the accused players does, Eymann said. Judge John Coughenour has scheduled the trial to begin June 7, 1993.

The NFL office is "aware of the situation" and "following the case," said Pete Abitante, league spokesman.

Through a clause in the standard player contract, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue can fine, suspend or terminate the contract of a player for acts that are judged to impair the general "integrity and good character of NFL players." The clause is mostly used to discipline players involved in drugs or gambling.

Eymann said Victoria C., now 35, decided to name names almost two years later because she believed the players would commit the act on other women unless she came forward.

"The Bengal organization and other professional sports organizations also are going to have to face up to their responsibilities to women," Eymann said. "They need to stop conveniently hiding behind a transparent door where they see these things go on but claim, `We did nothing wrong.' "