Details Are Offered on Charges That Webber Lied in Testifying
By DANNY HAKIM
 ETROIT, Jan. 17 — Federal prosecutors filed a more detailed indictment today against Chris Webber and two
relatives, in a case that involves payments that a booster says he made to Webber and other University of Michigan basketball players in the 1990's.
Webber, an All-Star forward for the Sacramento Kings, was first indicted in September along with Mayce Webber Jr., his father, and Charlene Johnson, his aunt. They were accused of obstruction of justice
and lying to a federal grand jury about the payments. In November, Michigan imposed heavy sanctions on its basketball program, including banning the team from the postseason this year and forfeiting
two previous appearances in national championship games.
The booster, Ed Martin, 68, is a former automobile worker who has said he operated an illegal lottery at a Ford plant and provided some of the proceeds to athletes. He pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy
charge last May and agreed to cooperate.
Martin has testified that he gave Webber cash and gifts worth about $280,000. Webber has contended that he never received large sums of money from Martin and has repeatedly said he told the truth in
testifying to a grand jury in 2000.
The more detailed indictment filed today included transcripts of what prosecutors said was false grand jury testimony by Webber. The indictment appeared to be in response to a motion in November by Webber's
lawyer, Steven Fishman, arguing that the government was required to specify what falsehoods it thought he made in his testimony.
"They obviously recognized that the original indictment was legally insufficient and they were staring into the abyss of dismissal of the case," Fishman said today.
In the new filings, transcripts show that prosecutors questioned Webber about whether Martin had paid the rent on his off-campus apartment and whether he had provided spending money or bought him jewelry,
clothing or a stereo. Webber generally responded by saying either that he could not recall or that he did not think he had received such gifts.
In the court documents, prosecutors say that Webber, after turning professional, gave Martin "a significant sum of money, in cash, as a partial repayment."
Webber said in his testimony that he did not know if he had given Martin money. Webber's father has admitted he accepted gifts and a small loan from Martin. The court filings accuse him of lying
when he said he had not received additional payments. Prosecutors also accuse Webber's aunt of lying about a meeting she had with Martin.
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