Karen Sypher heard a jury foreman say she was guilty of six felony counts, including extortion, lying to federal prosecutors and retaliation against a witness.

Sypher’s trial ended on Wednesday afternoon and the jury deliberated a bit less than six hours before agreeing on a verdict.

Sypher’s ex-lover says she told him: I shouldn’t have done it

Her attorney, Jim Earhart had chosen not to put his client on the stand in her own defense. In fact he presented no witnesses at all, relying on the jury to find reasonable doubt that the prosecution had proved the case against his client.

Sypher’s attorney rolls the dice, won’t put her on the stand

Unfortunately for Earhart and Sypher, the jury was able to come to a unanimous decision very quickly. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported on a statement of a jury member.

Charles Smith, a mortgage banker told media that a key to their decision were the phone calls made to University of Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino by an ex-lover of the defendant’s. The calls demanded money in exchange for silence about a six year-old tryst between Sypher and Pitino.

It all began in 2003 when Pitino and Sypher had the briefest of sexual encounters at an Italian restaurant that had already closed for the night.

Within weeks she told Pitino she was pregnant and without health insurance or a clue as to what to do about it. Pitino gave her $3,000 and with that she obtained an abortion.

Ex-husband says claims of rape are “craziness”

When Pitino received the calls demanding money a new element was introduced into the situation. Pitino was told that Karen Sypher was now claiming that the coach raped her. Pitino worked with the FBI who arrested Sypher in April 2009.

Rick Pitino humiliated while telling of sex with Karen Sypher

At that time, Rick Pitino’s personal life got exposed on an international stage. He had to admit his indiscretion and involvement with Karen Sypher’s pregnancy.

The jury verdict came after seven days of testimony from the prosecution including multiple individuals who directly contradicted much of Sypher’s case.

Sypher had multiple sexual partners, including her former lawyer, testify to facts that directly contradicted what Sypher had told the FBI and even the local police.

Sypher was granted her request to remain free on her own recognizance until she is sentenced. Federal sentencing guidelines are expected to reduce her sentence from the up to 26 years provided under the law.

Used with permission of the author.

Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles. 

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