Irvin Denies Being at Williams’ House

DALLAS — Cowboy owner Jerry Jones wasn’t talking, Coach Barry Switzer said his players must be innocent because they have not been arrested, and at day’s end, wide receiver Michael Irvin said he was not at teammate Erik Williams’ house when a woman alleged she was raped at gunpoint.

But a Dallas TV station, which broke the story, said its sources indicate that Irvin’s voice is recognizable on a videotape of the incident seized from Williams’ house and charges will soon be filed.

Dallas police Sgt. Ross Salverino, who is leading the investigation, said no voices on the tape have been identified yet.

According to the 23-year-old woman, who met the players while doing makeup for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, she was forced to have sex with Williams and a third unidentified alleged assailant while Irvin held a gun to her head. She said Irvin also videotaped the incident, stopping the tape time and time again when she became upset, and she was ordered to act as if she was a willing participant or she would be killed.

The Dallas police, which also seized a video camera and guns from Williams’ home, would not comment on investigation details, but Lt. David Goelden of the sex crime unit, said, “Based on what I know to this minute, it looks like aggravated sexual assault.”

Police will question Irvin and Williams today.

“I’m looking forward to how you guys rewrite, reprint, rerun all these things about what happened Sunday night when you find out I wasn’t even at Erik’s house,” Irvin said.

Williams offered no comment.

Many of the Cowboys, including an assistant coach, lashed out at the media for reporting what the police had announced at a news conference a day earlier.

“Irresponsible journalism is running rampant in this town,” yelled Joe Brodsky, offensive assistant coach. “Michael wasn’t even there.”

Irvin pleaded no contest to felony cocaine possession charges last summer. Irvin’s probation from that plea bargain now is in jeopardy, and if arrested, it could be lifted, making him subject to 20 years in prison.

Switzer said both Irvin and Williams will play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in an NFC playoff game in Charlotte.

“I don’t think that anything’s going to happen,” Switzer said. “Why in the hell haven’t they been arrested right now? You know, that’s my attitude. Why did the police department have a press conference and not even arrest anybody? It kind of stinks. Everybody around here has had that attitude about it.”

Quarterback Troy Aikman, unhappy with the media for asking him about Williams and Irvin, said the Cowboy image has been tarnished in recent years, but added, “I’m still proud to wear a helmet with the star on it.”

The Cowboys closed their locker room to the media, but delivered selected players for interviews. While one reporter asked about the effectiveness of Carolina’s 3-4 defense, another wanted a reaction to the allegations against Williams and Irvin, and so it continued.

“Everyone here is acting like something’s happened,” Aikman said. “Do you know that? Tell me what’s going to happen. You don’t know, then don’t ask me the question.”

Fullback Daryl Johnston said, “It doesn’t have an effect on the football team. We’re going through with things as if nothing has happened.”