Affidavit: Wife of former Syracuse basketball ass't. coach Bernie Fine slept with players

(CBS/AP) SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A former ball boy for the Syracuse University men's basketball team who accused assistant coach Bernie Fine of sexual molestation is now alleging that Fine's wife had sex with players, and that several people connected to the program knew about it.

The latest allegations by Bobby Davis are contained in an affidavit filed on his behalf in a slander suit against the University and head basketball coach Bobby Fine, part of the fallout of accusations made by Davis and his step-brother, Mike Lang, that Fine, who has since been fired, molested them when they were boys.

Davis says he was present on several occasions with basketball players when he heard them speaking of having sex with Laurie Fine. He said players joked about it, and it seemed to be an openly known fact that the assistant coach's wife had sex with basketball players.

A lawyer for Laurie Fine said the accusations were "disgusting."

After Davis and Lang accused Bernie Fine of molestation, head coach Boeheim vehemently defended Fine. He said Davis was lying to cash in on the publicity generated by the unfolding sex abuse scandal unfolding at Penn State University. Boeheim later backed off, saying he based his defense on loyalty and two previous claims of abuse against Fine that authorities could not substantiate.

Boeheim then apologized after a third accuser came forward at the end

of November and a years-old audiotape surfaced of a phone conversation between Davis and Laurie Fine that some believe indicates she knew Davis was abused by her husband.

Davis and Lang filed their slander suit in December. The affidavit filed Monday by high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred repeatedly makes the point that Davis believes Boeheim knew or should have known what his players were up to. He also believes Boeheim should have backed his molestation accusations.

"He knew or purposefully chose to ignore Fine and his wife's behavior," Davis said in the affidavit. "He had every reason to know that I was telling the truth, but he instead lashed out at me and called me and my brother liars."

Lawyers for Boeheim and Syracuse University did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Davis, who lived with the Fines for a time, said Laurie Fine would lavish certain players with attention, including doing their laundry, lending them her car and giving the player money and gifts.

A lawyer for Laurie Fine calls the accusations in the affidavit a "desperate" attempt to keep the slander suit alive.

"If Laurie Fine was having multiple sexual relationships with basketball players, then the university must explain how this could have been taking place for years right under Coach Boeheim's nose without his being aware of it and without the university's doing anything about it," Allred wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

Davis, now 40, and Lang claim they were repeatedly forcibly touched by Fine in the 1980s. Fine, who was fired Nov. 27, has not been charged and has denied any wrongdoing. 

Complete Coverage of the Bernie Fine case on Crimesider