Los Angeles
Sparks, Byears settle wrongful termination lawsuit

The Los Angeles Sparks and former player Latasha Byears have settled a lawsuit in which she claimed she was unfairly cut from the team. Announcement of the resolution came in a statement released Wednesday by Byears's lawyer, Scott Ames, in Los Angeles. Details of the settlement were not announced. Sparks attorney Jeffrey Lenkov said Thursday he could only confirm the lawsuit had been resolved, citing a confidentiality agreement. Byears, who helped lead the Sparks to two league championships, filed the wrongful termination suit in November 2004, claiming that sexual-orientation and gender discrimination led to her dismissal. The Sparks had previously characterized the lawsuit as being without merit. She was cut from the team five days after a June 2003 party at which she and three men were said to have assaulted a woman, a former teammate. At the time, prosecutors said, there was an investigation, but no one was arrested, and no charges were filed. (AP)