Iverson's Legal Woes Are Over
The last two charges will be dropped against Allen Iverson, who lauded the district attorney for resisting the "media frenzy that accompanied these false accusations."
The NBA star had been accused of bursting into an apartment with a gun and threatening two men while looking for his wife.
Twelve other counts, including four felonies, were dismissed by a judge July 29 after Iverson's two accusers gave conflicting testimony, including whether the Philadelphia 76ers' guard was carrying a gun.
District Attorney Lynne Abraham said the remaining two misdemeanor counts would be dropped because accusers Charles Jones and Hakim Carey don't want to pursue the case.
Abraham said her office could have compelled the men to testify, but she doesn't think "the taxpayers want to spend that kind of money on this kind of case."
"I want to sincerely thank Lynne Abraham for having the courage to do the right thing and not be caught up in the media frenzy that accompanied these false accusations against me," Iverson said. "I know consider this a closed chapter in my life and will not discuss it further."
He denied he had a gun, made threats or forced his way into his cousin's apartment that morning.
"We are gratified by today's decision," the 76ers said in a statement. "From the beginning, we urged our fans, the press and the public not to immediately react, but to allow the matter to be processed by the judicial system."
Iverson's uncle, Gregory, faced the same charges and also will not be prosecuted.
Jones and Carey had gone through cross-examinations at the preliminary hearing.
"I think they didn't want to subject themselves to a full trial," said Assistant District Attorney Charles Ehrlich, the lead prosecutor.
Accusations against Iverson first surfaced in early July. Hordes of reporters and photographers camped outside his suburban mansion in the days before he surrendered July 16.
Abraham denied that Iverson had received star treatment. She said prosecutors routinely drop cases in which complaining witnesses decide they don't want to testify.
"He's just another case to me. His name could be Joe Blow and we'd do the same thing the same way," Abraham said.
Iverson was the league's top scorer last season. In 2001, he led the 76ers to the NBA Finals and was named the league's Most Valuable Player.
His 76ers jersey is the among the league's top sellers, and Reebok last year gave Iverson a lifetime extension of his 10-year, $50 million endorsement contract.
As a teenager, Iverson was arrested in Virginia in 1993 after a brawl in a bowling alley. He spent four months in jail before he was granted clemency by the governor. The conviction was later overturned. In 1997, Iverson pleaded no contest to gun possession.
He has squabbled several times with 76ers coach Larry Brown and made an unreleased rap CD in which he used derogatory terms for women and gays.
By Michael Rubinkam