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'Simply nervousness' Taylor informant shows up three days late
Posted: Wednesday November 17, 1999 04:41 PM
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) -- The informer who helped police arrest NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor in an undercover drug sting appeared in court three days after he was to testify. Clemente Brown, Jr., apologized to Circuit Court Judge Lauren Laughlin on Tuesday, three days after his disappearance endangered prosecutors' case against Taylor. Laughlin agreed to withdraw an order she signed Friday that Brown be jailed until Taylor's trial, an attempt to guarantee his appearance. "He indicated it was simply nervousness that prevented him from appearing" said Bruce Howie, Brown's lawyer. Brown had been subpoenaed to testify at a hearing. Taylor's lawyers asked Laughlin to dismiss the drug charges, arguing that police illegally entrapped Taylor. Taylor, who helped the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, was charged in October 1998 with buying the crack cocaine, possession of crack cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia after allegedly buying the drug from an undercover police officer. Taylor, 40, had a 13-year career that ended in 1993. His trial is set for Nov. 30 but will likely be postponed.
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