Escobar Killer Gets 43 Years in Prison

The gunman who killed a soccer star whose error in a game against the United States had been crucial in eliminating Colombia from the World Cup was sentenced to 43 years in prison Friday in Medellin, Colombia.

Humberto Munoz Castro shot Andres Escobar on July 2, 1994, outside a bar in Medellin, 155 miles northwest of Bogota.

Days earlier, Escobar had accidentally kicked the ball into his net in a 2-1 first-round loss.

Basketball

San Antonio Spur forward Dennis Rodman signed autographs for jurors and joked about getting a new dye job after an Atlanta jury, saying there was no proof he had herpes, found no evidence that he had given the disease to a former Hawks’ cheerleader, Lisa Beth Judd.

New York Knick General Manager Ernie Grunfeld acknowledged that the team is talking with former Golden State Coach Don Nelson about its vacant coaching job.

Meanwhile, a day after being accused by the Knicks of tampering with their former coach, the Miami Heat faxed a letter seeking permission to talk with Pat Riley.

“At this time, permission was denied,” Grunfeld said. “We informed them that there are charges pending before the commissioner.”

Paced by their NBA stars, Yugoslavia, Lithuania and Croatia joined host Greece in the semifinals of the European Championship and clinched berths at next summer’s Olympics, denying perennial power Russia a spot in Atlanta.

The Lakers’ Vlade Divac, with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, anchored Yugoslavia’s 104-86 victory over France; Chicago Bull Toni Kukoc scored 24 points and took down 10 rebounds in leading Croatia over Italy, 71-61, and Arvydas Sabonis, who signed with Portland, powered Lithuania past Russia, 82-71, scoring 33 points and collecting 14 rebounds.

Julie Wilhoit was named coach of the Loyola Marymount women’s team.

Football

Former Green Bay Packer wide receiver Sterling Sharpe has withdrawn a $9.6-million lawsuit that claimed the team, the NFL and the NFL Players Assn. denied him due process following his release by the team after surgery to fuse two vertebrae in his neck. . . . Wide receiver Haywood Jeffires, 30, rejoined the Houston Oilers, agreeing to an undisclosed contract just months after being waived in a cost-cutting move. . . . Houston Oiler rookie quarterback Steve (Air) McNair can keep the rights to his nickname, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said in denying an application from employees of San Diego television station KGTV.

Auto Racing

Britain’s Damon Hill clocked 1 minute 18.556 seconds on a 2.641-mile circuit and edged Williams-Renault teammate David Coulthard for the provisional pole for Sunday’s French Grand Prix in Magny Cours.

Hockey

Brian Bellows, 30, a former 50-goal scorer coming off a disappointing season, was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning by the Montreal Canadiens for winger Marc Bureau, 29. . . . Former Philadelphia Flyer Glen Seabrooke won a $5.5-million malpractice award against former team physician John Gregg, the Canadian Press reported.

Miscellany

Charles Harris resigned as athletic director at Arizona State, and Christine Wilkinson was named to the position in the interim. . . . Merqui Sosa of the Dominican Republic stopped Prince Charles Williams in the 10th round at Philadelphia to win the vacant North American Boxing Federation light heavyweight title. . . . Mark Roberts gave up one hit and struck out five as the United States beat Canada, 4-0, in an exhibition baseball game in Nashville, Tenn., called because of rain after five innings.