Florida Sentinel Bulletin

Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson has been charged with the violent beating of his ex-roommate Clavens Charles.

Last week in Texas, Charles and the locked out football player got into an argument that escalated into a physical altercation. Benson allegedly punched Charles in the face several times, “resulting in severe injury to his face.”

A statement released by Benson’s attorney charges that Charles is using the incident to extort their client, claiming that the NFL running back was provoked.

Charles’ attorneys deny those claims saying the beating Charles took at the hands of Benson was “an unprovoked, violent assault.”

Charles’ camp reports thousands of dollars in medical bills because of his injuries. Benson had been charged with misdemeanor assault

Former NFL player Nataniel Webster was indicted on sex-related charges involving the teenage daughter of a former Cincinnati Bengals assistant coach.

According to reports, Webster had sexual conduct with the girl in 2009 when she was just 15 years old and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
Reports state:

Assistant prosecutor, Megan Shanahan, said: ‘When somebody has a gun with them and tells them I will kill you, your family, your grandparents, your little sisters, absolutely she was afraid to say no.’

Webster was a close friend of the girl’s family while the relationship look place between June and December of 2009.

Webster was indicted on one count each of gross sexual imposition and sexual battery and five counts of unlawful sex with a minor with gun specifications. If convicted, he could face up to 36 years in prison.

NEW YORK — New York Jets star wide receiver Braylon Edwards pleaded guilty Friday in his drunken driving case, saying he wanted to resolve it as a possible end to the NFL players’ lockout neared.

The plea came as the prospect of free agency looms for the 28-year-old wide receiver, who reiterated Friday that he “most definitely” wants to stay with the Jets.

It’s unclear whether Edwards might face a league suspension over his DWI plea, or how it might affect his probation in Cleveland, where he pleaded no contest in January 2010 to misdemeanor aggravated disorderly conduct. Edwards, who was with the Cleveland Browns before being traded to the Jets in October 2009, had been accused of punching a friend of NBA star LeBron James outside a nightclub.

A number of NBA stars have expressed interest in playing in an overseas basketball league this fall if the NBA lockout ends up cutting into the 2011-2012 season. But LeBron James is apparently not interested in taking his talents to Europe in an extended lockout situation.

This puts him in a minority among big-name stars. Heat teammate Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard were listed as “willing to consider playing overseas.”

Earlier this month, Wade said of playing in a foreign league, “If there’s an opportunity there, I’d consider it.”

The threat of playing in overseas could be a valuable bargaining chip for the NBA players’ union, but for players like James, there might not be much monetary incentive to play in another basketball league.

According to Forbes, James earns $48 million annually, but his Heat contract paid him only $14.5 million last season. James can ride out the lockout comfortably with his many endorsements and business interests, so he stands little to gain by playing overseas and risking injury.

CORAL GABLES, Fla.  — Former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning was sued Wednesday over a traffic crash that raised questions about whether he improperly left the scene.

The lawsuit seeking unspecified damages was filed on behalf of 21-year-old William Candelario, who suffered head injuries in the rollover crash near Miami Beach. Candelario said he has little memory of what happened and his attorney said the lawsuit is aimed at finding answers.

In a brief interview, Mourning said he came upon the crash scene but declined to say whether he struck one of the vehicles.

Sgt. Thomas Pikul, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman, said investigators determined that Mourning’s blue Porsche Panamera struck Candelario’s Audi A4 a short time after the Audi had collided with a third vehicle.

Mourning, currently the Heat’s vice president for player programs and development, acknowledged leaving the scene. Investigators said he returned about 40 minutes later, in another car driven by his wife, Tracy.

“I left and came right back. Left and came back. There was no panic at all because I didn’t do anything wrong. There was a current accident already in progress,” the 41-year-old Mourning said.

Tiger Woods has ended one of his longest relationships: With his caddie of 13 years, Steve Williams.

Confirming what many golf fans have suspected for months, Woods said in a statement on his website Wednesday: “I want to express my deepest gratitude to Stevie for all his help, but I think it’s time for a change.”

Williams worked with Woods, 35, as he racked up 13 of his 14 big-time championships. He has been working with another pro, Adam Scott, since Woods’ recent injury took him out of the sport. “Stevie is an outstanding caddie and a friend and has been instrumental in many of my accomplishments. I wish him great success in the future.”

But Williams — who stood by Woods during his disastrous 2009 adultery scandal and 2010 divorce — wasn’t exactly pleased with the news.

“After 13 years of loyal service needless to say this came as a shock,” Williams wrote on his own website. “Given the circumstances of the past 18 months working through Tiger’s scandal, a new coach and with it a major swing change and Tiger battling through injuries I am very disappointed to end our very successful partnership at this time. I have had the opportunity to work for Australian Adam Scott and will now caddy for him on a permanent basis.”

SHANGHAI — Wracked by injuries that curtailed his playing time in the NBA, Yao Ming called it quits on his basketball career Wednesday during a packed news conference in his hometown.

The Houston Rockets center and No. 1 draft pick in the 2002 NBA draft confirmed weeks of speculation about his retirement by opening with a simple statement: “I will formally end my career.”

NEW YORK — Neighbors have buried a teenager who died when a motorcycle collided with a vehicle carrying Los Angeles Lakers player Lamar Odom and hurtled onto a New York sidewalk.

Odom, who stars in a reality TV show with his wife, Khloe Kardashian, was visiting his native Queens on last Thursday afternoon when a motorcycle tried to turn left in front of the chauffeured Cadillac Escalade sport-utility-vehicle he was riding in, police said.

The motorcycle hit the front bumper of the SUV and went out of control, striking a pedestrian, 15-year-old Awsaf Alvi Islam. “It hit him from behind and he went right down headfirst,” said Rahat Islam, a friend of the boy.

An ambulance took the boy to Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens with severe head trauma, said Atiya Butler, a spokeswoman for the hospital.

The driver of the motorcycle, 32-year-old Christian Mora of Queens, was in stable condition at the same hospital, Browne said. No one has been arrested, but the collision remains under investigation, he said.

The SUV was owned by a New York delivery car service. The driver was unhurt.

Awsaf Alvi Islam was the son of immigrants from Bangladesh, an avid soccer player who had recently become more involved in his local mosque, Rahat Islam said.

ALBANY, NY — Serena Williams leaned against a wall in the bowels of SEFCU Arena, sweat pouring off her muscular shoulders and a satisfied look on her face after a very long day.

“It’s good to be back. I love playing. I really enjoyed myself out there,” Williams said Tuesday night after beating Martina Hingis 5-3 in World TeamTennis. “It was a really long day, but at last I arrived.”

Williams, who sat out nearly a year with an assortment of health problems before returning to play the Eastbourne International prior to Wimbledon, continued her comeback by also playing mixed doubles and women’s doubles. Her team, the Washington Kastles, edged the New York Sportimes 21-20