Parish Faces Possession Charge After Marijuana-Package Delivery

BOSTON - Boston Celtics center Robert Parish faced drug charges today after authorities alleged they found marijuana at his home and in a package addressed to him.

A court summons was expected to be issued today ordering Parish to appear for arraignment March 3, said Kurt Schwartz, a Middlesex County assistant district attorney.

The case began in San Francisco Wednesday night when a drug-sniffing dog detected marijuana in a Federal Express package addressed to Parish. Police in Massachusetts were notified. They obtained a search warrant, opened the package and found two ounces of marijuana, Schwartz said.

An officer disguised as a Federal Express employee completed the delivery and, with another warrant obtained for Parish's home, police found five more ounces of marijuana, Schwartz said.

Parish, 39, was expected to play in tonight's game against the Dallas Mavericks in Texas.

Possession of small amounts of marijuana rarely results in jail time for first ffenders. The charge is a misdemeanor.

Marijuana is not among the substances included in the league's anti-drug policy. However, "if criminal charges are filed, we will look into it," an NBA spokesman said.

It was a draw -- CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The historic first meeting of rookie centers Shaquille O'Neal of Orlando and Alonzo Mourning of Charlotte was everything it was billed to be - and more.

There were pushes, shoves, dunks, rebounds, blocked shots, nasty stares and words aplenty.

Neither man backed down from the other - not once. Mourning's Hornets won 116-107. The individual battle was a virtual draw.

The 7-foot-1 O'Neal got 29 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots. Mourning, 6-10, collected 27 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks.

Afterward, in the Hornets' dressing room, Mourning said, "It's no rivalry at all. I don't get into all that individual hype. This is a five-on-five game, and we won. That's the final analysis."

Note

-- Jeremy Jacobs, developer of the new Boston Garden, has halted the $160 million project, citing recent battles with the Legislature over a bill crucial to building the new arena. "The recent legislative events have increased the costs and risks for a new Boston Garden to a point where we cannot, in good business judgment, proceed with the project," he said in a letter to Massachusetts Gov. William F. Weld, who said: "As of right now, there ain't going to be a Boston Garden in 1995."

Compiled from Associated Press, Boston Globe and Knight-Ridder Newspapers.