Cleaves Sues Taylor And Aunt

Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves has sued former University of Michigan player Maurice Taylor and his aunt over injuries suffered in a 1996 traffic accident.

Cleaves alleges he "has been rendered temporarily seriously disabled and ... suffered great physical pain and mental anguish" as a result of the rollover accident involving a Ford Explorer driven by Taylor and owned by his aunt, Ellen Lloyd of Detroit.

Cleaves was in his senior season at Flint Northern High when he traveled to Ann Arbor on a recruiting trip with Taylor and four other Michigan players. The Explorer crashed about 4:50 a.m. on Feb. 17, 1996.

News reports said at the time that the most serious injury was suffered by then-freshman Robert Traylor, who broke his arm and missed the remainder of that season.

Since then, Cleaves has twice been named Big Ten Player of the Year for the Spartans. He was a first-team All-America in 1998-99.

The lawsuit, which seeks at least $25,000 in damages, alleges Cleaves' injuries resulted from Taylor's negligent operation of the Explorer and Ms. Lloyd's negligence in allowing Taylor to drive the vehicle.

The suit was filed Jan. 29 in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Lamberto DiStefano, the attorney representing Taylor and Lloyd, said in a response filed July 16 that Cleaves "has not suffered ... serious disfigurement affecting his or her general ability to lead a normal life."

DiStefano asked that the suit be dismissed.

Calls from The Associated Press to Cleaves' attorneys, Barry Waldman and Brian McKenna of Detroit, were not returned Thursday. DiStefano also did not return calls.

A mediation hearing on the suit was scheduled for Oct. 25, according to radio station WDFN-AM.

Taylor left Michigan after the 1996-97 season and was the Los Angeles Clippers' first overall draft choice, 14th overall, in 1997. He averaged a team-high 16.8 points per game last season.

Cleaves led the Spartans to their second straight Big Ten title and first Final Four appearance in 20 years last season. He announced in May that he would return to Michigan State for his senior year.

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