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Sunday, January 12, 1997

A list of recent legal ups and downs involving Dallas Cowboys players:

By the Associated Press (Jan. 12, 1997)

-October 1994: Erik Williams is involved in a one-car accident and injures his right knee, sidelining him for the rest of the season. He later pleaded no contest and received two years' probation on a misdemeanor drunken driving offense.

-April 1995: A 17-year-old topless dancer accuses offensive lineman Erik Williams of sexually assaulting her at his home. A grand jury decided not to charge Williams two months later after the teen-ager refused to cooperate with prosecutors following an out-of-court settlement with the player.

-November 1995: The NFL suspends defensive tackle Leon Lett and cornerback Clayton Holmes for four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. A week later, Holmes's suspension is increased to one year.

-April 1996: A Dallas grand jury indicts Irvin and two women on drug charges. Irvin pleaded no contest and was put on four years' probation and fined $10,000.

-May 1996: Former Cowboys receiver Cory Fleming is suspended by the league for having violated league drug policy during the 1995 season while with the Cowboys.

-July 1996: Michael Irvin is suspended by the league for the first five games of the 1996 season as a result of his no-contest plea the previous April.

-August 1996 - Defensive end Shante Carver is suspended for the first six games of the upcoming season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

-Dec. 3, 1996 - Defensive tackle Leon Lett is suspended from the NFL for a minimum of one year for violating the league's drug policy a second time.

-Dec. 31, 1996 - A 23-year-old woman accuses Michael Irvin of holding a gun to her head while Dallas Cowboys teammate Erik Williams and another man allegedly forced her to have sex.

-Jan. 10, 1997: Dallas police clears Irvin and Williams, saying an investigation showed no sexual assault occurred and that Michael Irvin was not present at the scene of the alleged crime.