NY Knicks Star Derrick Rose's Beverly Hills Drug Rape Trial Starts

LOS ANGELES, CA - Jury selection began Tuesday for the trial of a $21 million civil lawsuit brought against New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose in Los Angeles by an ex-girlfriend, who alleges the NBA star and two of his friends drugged and sexually assaulted her.

Jury selection is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning. An eight-member panel is expected to be seated before noon, followed by opening statements.

Rose is expected to appear in the courtroom for the first time Thursday to testify in his own defense.

The judge has limited attorneys to 16 hours per side for direct and cross-examination.

According to the suit, filed in federal court last year, the plaintiff contends Rose and a pair of his childhood friends slipped a drug into her drink at a party on August 2013 in Beverly Hills before "gang raping" her at her apartment.

In court filings, the athlete's attorney, Mark Baute, characterized the plaintiff's allegations as an attempt to extort "millions in damages from a celebrity."

The woman didn't report the alleged incident to police for two years. Her lawsuit was filed in August 2015.

The defendants acknowledge they had sex with the woman, but contend it was consensual.

Court papers show that the Los Angeles Police Department has opened an investigation into the woman's allegations, but no criminal charges have been filed.

Speaking at Knicks media day last week Rose, 28, denied any wrongdoing.

"I'm innocent. I felt like I didn't do anything wrong," he said.

The 30-year-old woman -- whose name was revealed for the first time in court filings Tuesday, under a ruling by the judge -- is listed as the first witness to take the stand in the case.

Until he was traded recently to the Knicks, Rose was a star player with the Chicago Bulls.

-- City News Service