Seizing the proceeds of crime is one thing, but police in Canada cannot seize legitimately earned money just because they think someone is a “bad guy,” says the lawyer representing Sophon Sek.

Sek, who has been arrested on manslaughter charges, won $364,000 Sunday in a poker tournament at the River Rock Casino in Richmond Sunday.

But the Cloverdale man was unable to collect it Monday because he had been arrested and charged in connection with the notorious Surrey six gangland slaying in 2007.

Sek is facing charges of manslaughter and breaking and entering in connection with the attack, in which six people were killed, including two innocent bystanders.

River Rock spokesman Howard Blank said Sek received a delayed jackpot slip Sunday night, and had planned to redeem it Monday.

“He was arrested before he came back, so it’s sort of a moot point right now because he has not actually come to try and collect the funds yet,” Blank said. “We’ve been asked by the BC Lottery Corporation, through the RCMP, to withhold the funds at this time.”

Given that Sek has not yet been convicted of anything, and given that he earned the money legitimately in a poker tournament, his lawyer, Alan Ip, questions the authority of police to freeze his client’s winnings.

“We do have due process in this country and police can’t just go about seizing money because they say you are a bad guy,” Ip said.

“There’s no hint that the tournament is anything but above-board. and there’s no allegation he cheated or anything. It’s legitimately earned, legitimately gained money and these (charges) are allegations.”

In B.C., police can request the freezing of assets through the civil forfeiture office in an ongoing investigation, according to the B.C. Solicitor General’s Office.

So far, though, Ip said no one has provided any legal rationale for freezing Sek’s poker winnings.

“I expect them to serve me with some kind of documentation or whatever, and if they don’t then we’ll be going after the release of the money,” Ip said.

Asked what authority the police have to freeze or seize a suspect’s assets prior to a conviction, IHIT Cpl. Dale Carr of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said he would not discuss the matter, as Sek is the subject of an ongoing investigation.

“Our position is that we have an active and ongoing investigation and we’re not going to discuss our evidence gathering,” Carr said.

“If it’s still under investigation, we’re not going to talk about the evidence we have on our suspects.”

this is Eddie Davis’ Grey Cup homecoming.

And not just because the Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back is expecting to see thousands of watermelon-wearing fans in the stands at McMahon Stadium for tomorrow’s Grey Cup matchup with the Montreal Alouettes.

Davis, who spent five seasons with the Stamps and won his first championship ring in Red & White in 1998, made Calgary his adopted hometown more than a decade ago.

“I’m just enjoying this whole week — enjoying being back at McMahon Stadium, being back at my old locker. this is going to be a great week,” Davis said. “I’m loving this right now. You couldn’t ask for anything more.”

not to mention sleeping in his old bed.

Most of the imports suiting up for Riders and Alouettes won’t see their families for a few more days, but the 36-year-old Davis is an exception.

even though he’s following the same hectic schedule as the rest of the Cup participants, he’s seen his wife and two children more often this week than he normally would during the football season.

in fact, the talkative defensive halfback just moved into the Riders’ team hotel last night after spending a few nights with his loved ones at their southwest home.

Davis grew up in St. Louis, Mo., and is quick to admit he dreamed about earning his paycheques on a 100-yard field.

after 15 years in the CFL, though, he’s a staunch defender of the Canadian game.

“I’m very grateful for this league, for these fans, for Canada, in general,” Davis said.

“This is where I made my living. this is where I’ve made my family. this is my new home.

“I’m grateful for having had this opportunity to play up here. I’ve seen a lot of NFL guys come up here and think this league is a rinky-dink league, but most of those guys can’t stick in this league.

“You’ve got some great athletes up here, and I think we can play with anybody in the world.

Ironically, Davis had to move south for his first taste of three-down football.

after a stellar collegiate career at Northern Illinois, he signed a free-agent pact with the Birmingham Barracudas in 1995, spending one season in Alabama before the CFL scrapped their failed American expansion plan.

He was scooped up by the Stamps in the dispersal draft and spent five seasons in Red & White before signing with the Riders in 2001.

Davis ranks among the active leaders with 34 career interceptions and has also racked up nearly 1,000 tackles in his CFL career. Tomorrow, he’ll try to add a third championship ring to his resume.

What a journey it’s been.

“Honestly, I didn’t even think I’d been playing CFL football when I came out of college,” Davis said.

“I was fortunate enough to get a contract sent to me from a guy named Roy Shivers and I said, ‘What the hell? Let me go down there.’

“It was a $30,000 contract. that was my first contract and I loved it. I thought I was making big, big money.”

WES.GILBERTSON@SUNMEDIA.CA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -All signs point to another lopsided affair.

Top-ranked Florida has a higher-rated offense than Florida State, a considerably better defense and more at stake when the in-state rivals meet for the 52nd consecutive year Saturday. The Gators (11-0) have the nation’s longest winning streak (21 games), have won five straight in the series and are trying to put together the program’s first perfect season.

Could the Seminoles (6-5) mess it all up?

“You never know,” FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. “That’s what makes it exciting. That’s what makes it fun. All these big rivals play and you never know. a lot of times it’s a good game and it shouldn’t have been a good game.”

The last two have been routs, with Florida winning by a combined score of 90-27. The Gators totaled 1,075 yards, 51 first downs and their most points in a two-year span against FSU since 1972 and ‘73.

Many believe this one could be just as bad, maybe even worse. The Seminoles have an undersized defensive line, a porous secondary and have given up 332 points – the most in Bowden’s 33 years. although E.J. Manuel has been effective in two starts, he also has throw four interceptions.

“We’re getting closer,” Bowden said. “Next year, we should be neck and neck. … I think we’ll be able to compete next year.”

The oddsmakers must feel the same. Florida State is a 24 1/2-point underdog in a rivalry that used to be as much about national championships as bragging rights and recruiting battles.

Players and coaches insist little has changed, though.

“A lot of people say the rivalry’s changed,” Florida linebacker Ryan Stamper said. “If you look back in the ’90s, this game pretty much was the game that decided who was going to the national championship. even though we’ve been the most successful the past couple years, that still doesn’t change how we approach the rivalry as far as the way we prepare.

“Just because Florida State had a bad year, we know that’d make their season to beat us. even though they’re having a bad season, just because we beat them we won’t be like, ‘It’s Florida State, they’re sorry anyway or whatever.’ It’ll feel real good to beat them just because it’s Florida State.”

A win Saturday would be special.

Not only would it give Florida its second undefeated regular season in school history and set up a national championship elimination game against No. 2 Alabama the following week in the Southeastern Conference title game, it would give quarterback Tim Tebow, linebacker Brandon Spikes and about 20 other seniors a victory in their final home game.

The seniors, who have more wins (46) than any class in SEC history, will be honored before the game. Tebow certainly will get most of the attention; several groups spent the week urging everyone to wear eye black in honor of the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner’s home finale.

Tebow and his fellow seniors don’t want to disappoint the 90,000-plus fans who will watch them play in person for the last time.

“There’s something extra about winning a rivalry game, especially against Florida State,” senior receiver David Nelson said. “It’s Senior Day for us. It’s your last chance to run into The Swamp. It will be your last chance to sing the fight song with the student section.

“There’s a lot of things that we can accomplish by winning this game. It’s a rivalry, undefeated, your last game at The Swamp, so there’s a lot of motivation for us.”

The Seminoles eked out a win against Maryland last week to become bowl eligible for the 33rd consecutive season. although there’s still plenty of talk about Bowden’s uncertain future, a victory in Gainesville probably would bolster his case for sticking around another year.

Another blowout might flame the fire under Bowden’s seat.

Bowden recalled several upsets in this series, specifically the one in 2004, when the Ron Zook-coached Gators beat FSU 20-13 on the night the Doak Campbell Stadium field was named after Bowden. could the Seminoles return the favor by ruining Florida’s season Saturday?

“I don’t even want to think about that,” Stamper said. “That would be a bad, bad day around here.”

Bowden believes things have to turn sooner or later.

“There were times we beat them four in a row and they beat us five or six in a row,” he said. “It will change. Nothing lasts forever.”

Edinburgh’s tram bosses have insisted they are on schedule to complete work on Princes Street in time for this weekend’s festive shopping deadline.

Buses and taxis are due to return to the capital’s main shopping street in time for the Christmas period.

The street has been closed to all traffic since February for work on Edinburgh’s new tram system.

Retailers are concerned that the nine-month closure may have damaged the street’s reputation.

Richard Jeffrey, chief executive of Tie, which was the company set up to oversee the trams project, said Princes Street would open to traffic at 0500 GMT on Sunday.

He said: “Princes Street has never been closed to pedestrians but obviously once it is reopened to buses and taxis and everything is restored to normality, it will be a big pull for people into the city centre to do their Christmas shopping.”

Gordon Bell, a Scottish retail consultant, said: “A lot of shopping has been done already, however, the other problem is shoppers are creatures of habit and we have given them the opportunity to go elsewhere to experience new shopping.

“Just because we have reopened the street doesn’t mean they will come rushing back.”

Victoria Beckham has previously called her feet “the bane of my life” – and not just because of her obsessive compulsion to toss away millions on shoes, shoes, and more shoes. According to U.K. paper the Daily Mail – and more than a few icky close-up photos of Beckham’s dogs – the world’s most fabulous footballer’s wife has a raging case of bunions.

“She is suffering from shooting pain from the bunions,” a snitch told the paper. “Normally, she kicks off her shoes in the house, but she has been out so much recently in high heels that she is really feeling it.” (We don’t totally buy that last statement. Posh wears five-inch Louboutins when playing with her kids in the sandbox; if Isotoner makes a stiletto, she’s wearing that around the house.)

According to reports, Beckham’s been advised to get surgery on her feet, but is ignoring the advice, instead doing therapeutic exercises, trying out insoles and dousing her skin-wheels in ice to stave off the inevitable. (Because an eternity of fabulous pain is so much better than wearing flat shoes for a two- to six-month recovery period? Maybe someone should tell her Jimmy Choo makes a fine flat.) Heck, she should just use the few thousand she’d likely blow on a fresh pair of heel-less boots and hire some guys from Mariah Carey’s entourage to carry her from the soccer field to Suri Cruise’s unicorn-riding lessons – or wherever Victoria Beckham hangs out these days.

“She puts up with the pain, but the doctor has told her she seriously needs to consider a bunionectomy or ditch the heels for a few months to let the inflammation calm down,” says the Mail’s source. “She has not got that long to decide what to do.”

Gethin Jenkins will lead Wales against Australia after Ryan Jones failed to overcome a back strain suffered during weight training. Photograph: John Gichigi/Getty Images

Gethin Jenkins will tomorrow become Wales’s fourth captain this year after Ryan Jones pulled out of the side with a back strain sustained while weight training this week. The last time the Lions prop led his country was the match before Warren Gatland took over as head coach at the end of 2007 and he was overlooked when Jones missed two Six Nations matches this year; the armband went first to Martyn Williams and then to Alun Wyn Jones.

Jenkins’s elevation is an indication of the importance that Wales, for all the talk of running rugby and providing a spectacle for spectators at the end of the international year, are placing on the scrum. As captain, he will be in regular contact with the referee, Wayne Barnes, and the set piece has become the second most contentious issue in the game after the ruck.

No one feared Australia’s scrum a couple of years ago, but Wales, who have got away with playing Paul James out of position at tighthead this month, now rank it as the best in the world and an obstacle to a fourth win over Australia in the last five meetings in Cardiff. The Wallabies have become streetwise in the tight, as they showed at Twickenham when the prop Benn Robinson collapsed a scrum near England’s line but won the penalty to give his side a lead they were not to lose, but they have fallen off in other areas and defeat tomorrow would be their eighth of the year, equalling the worst international campaigns, 1958 and 2005, in their 110-year history.

It is a day when the top six of the world rankings are in action against each other. Australia start the afternoon in third, but they will drop out of the top five for the first time if they lose to Wales by more than 15 points and results in Marseille and Dublin go the way of the Six Nations sides.

Robbie Deans, the Australia coach, has come under pressure after his side, which finished at the bottom of the Tri-Nations, lost to Scotland last week despite dominating possession. their running instincts may run counter to the prevailing trend of kicking and chasing, but the average age of today’s side is 24 and if the International Rugby Board finds some way of restoring the balance between attack and defence at the breakdown, the Wallabies will be well placed next year when the countdown to the 2011 World Cup will start ticking loudly.

Wales are upwardly mobile having recovered from the ignominy of failing to make the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup, but it will be a defining evening for them. since winning the grand slam, they have lost to South Africa three times, new Zealand twice and France and Ireland once. their only major victims in 2009 are England, hardly the scalp it used to be.

Robert Howley, the Wales attack coach, conceded that the ugliest of victories would do, never mind the concerns that professional rugby union is becoming unwatchable. so for all the mutual backslapping in the build-up that the two sides are the most creative and adventurous in their respective tournaments, the need for victory may curb any desire to finish the year on an aesthetic high.

Wales will miss Ryan Jones, who has rediscovered his best form this season. Andy Powell moves to No8, with Dan Lydiate, who is 22 next month, coming off the bench to take over at blindside flanker after winning his first cap as a replacement against Argentina last week. Two years ago this month, Lydiate feared he would never walk again after breaking his neck playing for Newport Gwent Dragons in Perpignan.

“Pulling on the Wales jersey is like putting on armour for battle,” he said. “You almost feel like Superman.” he will be up against the Australia captain, Rocky Elsom, regarded as a superhero by Leinster supporters last season and if Wales have the more prolific finishers, the Wallabies have the edge up front and in the back row. Wales talk about owning the sky and kicking is likely to prevail, but the day will surely come again when players are encouraged to reach for the sky, not just because that is where the ball will be coming from.

by Mick Cleary
Published: 6:29PM GMT 26 Nov 2009

The England manager hit out, though, at the degree of criticism that has been levelled at his coaching team, calling it “hysterical”.

“It’s not nice to sack people but if I thought it were in the best interests of the team, then that’s the decision I’d take,” said Johnson, sitting alongside his immediate boss, Rob Andrew, who reiterated that the former World Cup-winning captain has his full backing to take England through to the 2011 tournament.

Despite the laborious nature of the autumn campaign, Johnson was strident in his defence of the England set-up. England are not for turning just because of what Andrew termed ”a few bumps in the road”.

“It would be easy to blame someone else, to say that a, B or C should be sacked,” said Johnson. “Easy to do, but not right. It’s become the thing to speculate when frankly these people don’t know what’s going on. It’s so wide of the mark, almost hysterical, and it becomes ridiculous.

“We’re not patting ourselves on the back and saying we’ve done well, because we’re not satisfied either with the way we’ve played. we accept criticism but the stuff about [forwards coach] John Wells is so far off the mark. The stats show that our set-piece has improved since last autumn. as for his record of not achieving anything, I seem to remember him winning two European Cups and getting to the 2007 Rugby World Cup final.”

Andrew revealed that Josh Lewsey, who lambasted England’s coaching team last week, had written to apologise to the three with whom he took particular issue: Wells, defence coach Mike Ford and attack coach Brian Smith.

The routine autumnal review is under way at Twickenham. Johnson played down its significance in that he is in constant touch with Andrew. He rejected the notion that the relationship was too cosy and uncritical.

“We don’t need to be shouted at,” said Johnson. “What good does that do? we don’t think everything’s great and we’re aware of the issues long before they’re being written about. Our composure in attack, for example, is a big area in which we need to improve, that ability to turn chances into five or seven points rather than going for dropped goals or penalties.”

England have not been the only side struggling to score tries. The malaise is widespread. The RFU is to take up the cudgels at the annual gathering of the International Rugby Board in Dublin on Tuesday. not only does Andrew have misgivings about the type of rugby being generated, he also has grave concerns that the pile-up at the breakdown is causing more injuries.

“The injury rate in the senior England squads has risen from 20-25 per cent to 40 per cent and that’s unsustainable for the game,” said Andrew. “We haven’t got the scientific stats yet but anecdotally players and coaches in the Premiership feel that the increased collision at the breakdown as teams try to clear out the defender is contributing to the rising rate of injury.”

The fact that the try count in the autumn series has dropped from an average of seven tries per match in 2007 to 2.86 this season, and in domestic competition from 4.12 last season to 2.63 this season, has alarmed many observers.

“We are going to lobby the IRB very strongly,” said Andrew. “We want them to review the interpretation of law at the breakdown. this is an issue for the game, not just for England. The pendulum has swung too far back in favour of the defence.”

And if anyone thought things might improve, Andrew had this warning. “Players will get better skills, defensively. unless something is done, things are going to get worse, not better.”

Some people. just because Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi reportedly fawned over a teenage lingerie model his wife wants a divorce, $300,000 a month and tens of millions up front.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reports today, via the BBC, that the money has already changed hands. Berlusconi and Veronica Lario had been together married since 1990 (they’ve been together since 1980), and have three children (all in their 20s) together.

All this unpleasantness began because Berlusconi, who is 73 and the prime minister of an actual country, decided to go to the birthday party of Noemi Letizia, the daughter of a business associate. he gave her a necklace and a signed picture of himself (please do not try the latter as a gift yourself). “It was a lovely surprise to see the man I call Papi (daddy) at my party,” she told various newspapers.

Lario was less warm in her message to the media. she told Italian wire ANSA that news of his party-attending “really surprised me because he has never come to the 18th birthday parties of any of our children despite being invited.”

Berlusconi, who’s fortune is estimated at around $13bn, also tried to get hot models and stars to run for elected office. Today’s he’s probably thankful that Italians don’t have Thanksgiving and he doesn’t have to sit down with his soon-to-be-ex wife and kids for perhaps the most awkward meal ever. especially as an escort is about to publish a book detailing alleged trysts she had with the PM.

Send an email to Ravi Somaiya, the author of this post, at ravi@gawker.com.

November 19th, 2009

Chris Brown receives ‘extremely favorable’ report

LOS ANGELES — A judge says Chris Brown has received an “extremely favorable” report from probation officials overseeing his felony assault case.

Brown appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday afternoon to offer a judge his first progress report since being sentenced for beating ex-girlfriend Rihanna earlier this year.

The R&B singer is serving five years of probation and must attend domestic violence counseling and perform six months of community labor in Virginia, which he has already begun.

Brown’s attorney, Mark Geragos, says Brown has already done 100 hours of community service in Richmond, Va.

Both Brown and Rihanna are trying to put the beating behind them by focusing on their careers. Rihanna has a popular new single titled “Russian Roulette.” Brown is due to release his third album on Dec. 8.

Filed under News | Tags: Assault and Battery, California, Celebrity, Celebrity Legal Affairs, Los Angeles, Music, North America, United States | Comment Below

Brown denies leaking Rihanna’s photos

May 11th, 2009 LONDON – Singer Chris Brown has denied rumours suggesting that he leaked ex-girlfriend Rihanna’s nude photos on the Internet, insisting he had nothing to do with the scandal. A set of photographs apparently featuring Rihanna in various states of undress surfaced online Friday.

Chris Brown has low-key 20th birthday

May 6th, 2009 LONDON – Singer Chris Brown reportedly had a low key birthday celebration with family and friends in Virginia. Still facing two charges – felony battery and making criminal threats – for beating ex-girlfriend Rihanna in February this year, Brown quietly brought in his 20th birthday Tuesday, reported aceshowbiz.com.

Rihanna back in studio as Chris Brown struggles to cope

April 15th, 2009 LONDON – Singer Chris Brown, who was in the news recently for allegedly beating his then girlfriend singer Rihanna, is still depressed, but Rihanna is working on a new album. Rihanna is in the studio in Santa Monica working on her new album.

I did not assault Rihanna, says singer Chris Brown

April 7th, 2009 LONDON – Singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges after his alleged fight with ex-girlfriend Rihanna in February. The R&B star showed up at Los Angeles County Court on April 6 with his lawyer Mark Geragos.

Music star Chris Brown allegedly involved in assault case

February 8th, 2009 LONDON – RnB star Chris Brown, who was supposed to perform at the 51st Grammy Awards, is now being investigated by police in an alleged assault on an unidentified woman. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) questioned Brown Sunday night, but are refusing to reveal the woman’s identity.

Provo » Saturday’s BYU-Utah football game is obviously important to both programs, and not just because both teams are nationally ranked, have identical 9-2 records and need the win to keep their momentum going into a bowl game.

But the importance doesn’t come close to what was on the line last year, when undefeated Utah met one-loss BYU at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

still, this year’s game carries a lot of meaning for BYU’s All-American tight end Dennis Pitta, partly because of what happened last year. Pitta suffered an MCL sprain in his knee in the 38-24 win over Air Force the week before the so-called “game of the decade” against Utah and was not at full strength against the

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Utes.

he still caught two passes for 33 yards, but those numbers were well below his season averages.

“I wasn’t able to contribute much in last year’s game, and that is always hard,” Pitta said. “I am grateful to be healthy this late in the season this year, though, and I am excited for the challenge to be able to go against those guys again, and end my career the way I wanted to.”

BYU quarterback Max Hall says Pitta is that rare player who can inspire confidence in those around him. he remembers the big tight end not being able to get open last year as much as he could in previous games.

Hall’s other top target, Austin Collie, still had 104 receiving yards. But without the threat of Pitta, Utah was able

to focus on Collie, who has since departed for the NFL, and that’s part of the reason Hall was intercepted five times.

“We are a confident football team. and I think we were last year, too. we just didn’t play as well as we would have liked. and, obviously we had some injuries, and I wasn’t able to play as much as I would have liked,” Pitta said. “But we’ve got guys healthy this year, and with Max as our quarterback, we have the utmost confidence in him and his abilities, his leadership. so we are excited to be able to pay this Saturday.”

one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award, this is Pitta’s last chance to boost his prospects before the winner is announced on Dec. 10 at a college football awards show.

he has 54 receptions for 735 yards and seven TDs, while Florida’s Aaron Hernandez has 46 catches for 571 yards and two TDs and Pittsburgh’s Dorin Dickerson has 43 catches for 496 yards and 10 TDs.

Pitta has 214 career catches, and needs just two more to pass Collie as the leading pass-catcher in BYU history.

Thanksgiving plans

the Cougars will practice Thursday morning, but will finish around noon so the players and coaches can celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in the afternoon and evening before returning to practice on Friday afternoon.

Briefly

the Cougars still lead the country in third-down conversion percentage (58.39 percent), having converted 80 of 137 opportunities. They are five percentage points better than no. 2 Nevada (71-for-133) … Then are no. 9 in passing offense (303 ypg.) and no. 2 in pass efficiency (167.69).

» no. 22 Utah at no. 18 BYU, 3 p.m.

» TV: the Mtn., CBS C