Man pleads no contest in race-motivated attack of player
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Posted 6:00PM on Tuesday, September 3, 2002
IONIA, MICHIGAN - One of the two men accused of making a racially motivated attack against Atlanta Falcons running back T.J. Duckett has pleaded no contest Tuesday to two charges. <br>
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Robert James Pung of Saranac, Michigan, pleaded no contest to charges of ethnic intimidation -- a felony -- and misdemeanor assault and battery at his hearing. <br>
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The 21-year-old could face over two years in prison and more than $5,000 in fines. <br>
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The other defendant, Harold Jason Bodman, of Ionia, is charged with ethnic intimidation and felonious assault. If he's convicted, the 23-year-old could face four years in prison on the assault charge plus two years on the intimidation charge. <br>
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Duckett, who's now a rookie with the Falcons, testified last month that the defendants used racial slurs, pushed him and threatened to toss him from a bridge. <br>
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Duckett is black and the defendants are white. <br>
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Police say Duckett was struck in the mouth with a bottle, splitting his lower lip and knocking out a tooth.