In Brief

COLLEGES

Judge's pretrial rulings
go in Sandusky's favor

A judge in Harrisburg, Pa., ruled Monday that former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky can have supervised contact with most of his grandchildren, saying there was no evidence that the children's parents wouldn't be able to keep them safe.

Judge John Cleland also rejected requests by prosecutors that jurors be brought in from outside the State College area to hear the case and that Sandusky remain indoors while on home confinement before trial.

Prosecutors made the bail modification request after hearing concerns by neighbors about the safety of children, particularly at an elementary school behind Sandusky's house.

"The commonwealth failed to present any evidence whatsoever that the defendant presents a clearly defined threat to any student at the adjoining elementary school simply by being on his deck," Cleland wrote. "No evidence was presented that at any time the defendant made any effort to contact any of the children by signaling or calling to them, or that he made any gestures directed toward them, or that he acted in any inappropriate way whatsoever."

Sandusky faces 52 criminal counts for what prosecutors say was the sexual abuse of 10 boys over a 15-year period. He has denied the allegations.

Also: North Texas football coach Dan McCarney was hospitalized with an unspecified medical problem. Athletic director Rick Villarreal said McCarney, 58, was taken to the hospital Sunday after experiencing what he called "medical difficulties." McCarney remained under observation Monday afternoon.

Maryland granted redshirt sophomore quarterback Danny O'Brien's request for a release from the program to play elsewhere. O'Brien played in nine games last season.

UNLV baseball junior outfielder Brandon Bayardi was named honorable mention preseason All-America by College Baseball Insider.

Bill Arnold scored with 6.4 seconds left in overtime to lead No. 3 Boston College to a 3-2 victory over No. 2 Boston University in the final of the annual Beanpot hockey tournament in Boston.

PRO FOOTBALL

Ex-wideout Solomon
dies after cancer battle

Freddie Solomon, the former Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver who became known as "Fabulous Freddie" and committed himself to community service, has died. He was 59.

The 49ers announced the death of Solomon, who lived in Florida and had battled cancer over the past year. He played on the first of the franchise's four Super Bowl championship teams in the 1980s during an 11-year career.

Also: A federal judge in Dallas delayed the drug conspiracy trial for former NFL wide receiver Sam Hurd until August.

U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis granted the delay until Aug. 6 at the request of Hurd's co-defendant, Toby Lujan. Trial had been set for April 2.

Hurd is a former Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys player. He and Lujan are accused of trying to buy large quantities of marijuana and cocaine to launch a drug-distribution network.

The wife of San Diego Chargers defensive tackle and former Oklahoma standout Tommie Harris died at a hospital in Norman, Okla.

Family friend Bill Horn said Ashley Harris died Saturday but remained on life support until her organs could be harvested. She was 29. An autopsy was pending.

Horn said Tommie and Ashley Harris married in January. They had two children, 3-year-old Tyson and 4-month-old Tinsley.