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Wednesday, June 4, 1997

Irvin's attorney to speak at 1 p.m. press conference

IRVING, Texas (AP) - Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin has retained an attorney who may shed light on the player's recent absence from minicamp.

Attorney Peter Ginsberg confirmed Tuesday that Irvin hired him, but he declined to give the specifics of what was to be discussed at a press conference this afternoon.

Irvin skipped last month's minicamp and has missed the first two days of this week's minicamp. The receiver has given no reason for his absence, but speculation is that he wants to be traded.

"He won't get traded just like I won't or Emmitt (Smith) won't or some other guys won't. It's not going to happen," said quarterback Troy Aikman.

Irvin's retirement is unlikely because he would have to give up the $5.46 million left on his contract.

Also, complying with that request would hamper Dallas from signing its draft picks and possibly force it to cut other players because of the mathematics behind the five-year contract he signed two years ago.

Teammates said they understand why Irvin might want to leave, given the attention he's endured connected with his brushes with the law.

He pleaded no contest last year to a felony cocaine possession charge and was the target of a murder-for-hire plot involving a Dallas policeman.

In addition, a former topless dancer accused of Irvin and teammate Erik Williams of sexually assaulting her in late December. She later recanted and faces trial on a perjury charge next month.

Ginsberg, who is based in Washington, D.C., represents Williams in a federal lawsuit accusing police of violating his civil rights and another state case charging that the TV station that first reported the story and one of its reporters defamed him.

Williams declined to say whether he would file similar lawsuits on Irvin's behalf.

"We'll get into that at the press conference," Ginsberg told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.