Setback for Tyson on psychological records

Web posted October 6, 1998

Associated Press

LAS VEGAS -- Mike Tyson lost another battle today to keep his psychological reports from being made public.

A judge rejected a request for a stay pending an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The decision left the former heavyweight champion with only the option of a direct appeal to the Supreme Court. That would almost certainly delay a tentative Oct. 19 hearing in which Tyson will try to regain his boxing license.

Tyson's lawyers are trying to decide whether to give up the fight to keep the records private and go ahead with the Oct. 19 date. An early hearing date is important if Tyson is to fight this year as planned, if he gets his license.

``It doesn't look real good for them for an appeal to the Supreme court so they just might have to face the music and release the reports,'' said Kirk Hendrick, a deputy attorney general for the Nevada Athletic Commission.

The same judge who rejected Tyson's effort last week to keep the reports of psychiatrists who examined the former heavyweight champion for five days last month turned down today's effort for a stay that would keep them private pending an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Tyson's lawyers indicated after last week's ruling that they would release the reports despite their potential to embarrass the boxer.

Tyson adviser Shelly Finkel said today he believes the report from doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston will be good enough to show Tyson if fit to fight.

``I don't think there's anything to hide,'' Finkel said. ``But if you were going to go through five days of questioning from psychiatrists, I don't think you would want all your answers made public.''

Nevada commissioners have said they want at least four working days to review the reports before the hearing, meaning they would have to be given to the commission by next Monday for an Oct. 19 hearing.

Commissioners demanded the reports following a hearing last month in which they said they were not satisfied with the limited psychological testing done on Tyson since he bit Evander Holyfield's ears and was stripped of his license to box.