[panoo]

TSN.ca Staff with Arizona Republic files
8/1/2006 10:51:52 AM

An NHL source expects officials in New Jersey to announce whether or not they are going to indict Phoenix Coyotes associate coach Rick Tocchet within the next few weeks, according to The Arizona Republic.

An announcement could come as early as this week.

According to The Republic, the NHL source also indicated that New Jersey law officials may be more interested in prosecuting state trooper James Harney than anyone else, and that he would be "surprised" if Tocchet was indicted.

In February, Tocchet was linked to an alleged gambling ring based in New Jersey following a law-enforcement investigation dubbed "Operation Slap Shot." Since then, the former NHL player has been on leave waiting to learn if he will be indicted by a grand jury.

The NHL source also told The Republic that the league is close to finishing its internal investigation into "Operation Slap Shot" matters.

 

[shanny14]

wouldnt surprise me if he had that happen! he has it coming! so did gretzky, but that got swept under the rug! LITERALLY!

 

[panoo]

Trooper to appear in court

Associated Press
Posted: 8 hours ago

A state trooper charged with running a massive gambling ring with retired hockey star Rick Tocchet and another man is due in court Thursday, his lawyer said.

Attorney Craig Mitnick, would not say why his client, James Harney, would be in New Jersey state Superior Court - only that he was scheduled to appear before a judge in Mount Holly.

Tocchet, Harney and James Ulmer were charged in February with running a gambling ring. The story rocked the hockey world when authorities said that Janet Jones, the wife of Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, and several current NHL players placed bets with the ring. Neither Jones nor other alleged bettors have been charged - but some were expected to be called to testify before a grand jury looking into the case.

So far, though, a grand jury has not convened, state police Capt. Al Della Fave said Tuesday.

Authorities said the ring had been running for years, but was monitored by state investigators for only 40 days, from Dec. 29 through Feb. 5, a period when they say $1.7 million changed hands.

Authorities said the betting was on the Super Bowl and other sporting events. NHL officials, who are conducting their own investigation, say that no players appeared to have bet on their own sport.

Harney and Tocchet, both 40, became friendly more than a decade ago when Harney was bartender at a bar in Philadelphia and Tocchet was playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.

After they were charged, Harney was suspended from the state police and Tocchet took an indefinite leave of absence from his job as the top assistant to head coach Gretzky with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Tocchet, Harney and Ulmer face charges of promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy.

Harney, who lives in Evesham, was also charged with official misconduct.

 

[panoo]

'Slap Shot' cop quits force

August 02, 2006

(AP) -- A day before he was to appear in court, a New Jersey state trooper charged with running a gambling ring resigned Wednesday from the state police.

Trooper James Harney said in a letter posted on his lawyer's website that "my personal judgment has been severely flawed" and apologized for "the disgrace which I have placed upon the Division, myself and my family."

In the letter, Harney didn't spell out exactly what he did wrong.

Authorities say he helped former hockey star Rick Tocchet and a third man run a gambling ring whose bettors included several current NHL players and Janet Jones, the wife of retired star Wayne Gretzky. None of the bettors were likely to be charged, officials have said, but their alleged involvement made a run-of-the-mill gambling bust into a huge sports headline.

NHL officials say they do not believe any of the bets in the alleged ring were on hockey games.

Neither Harney's lawyer, Craig Mitnick, nor state law enforcement officials would say why he had a court appearance scheduled for Thursday.

In his letter to state police Col. Rick Fuentes, Harney was vague but contrite: "The scar that I have placed upon the Division is inexcusable and was never contemplated by me. My actions must be judged personally and should not reflect upon any of your members as they are good, honest and hardworking individuals."

Harney and Tocchet, both 40, became friendly more than a decade ago when Harney was bartending in Philadelphia and Tocchet was playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.

After they were charged in February, Harney was suspended from the state police and Tocchet took an indefinite leave of absence from his job as the top assistant coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, who are led by Gretzky.

Both of them, along with James Ulmer, face charges of promoting gambling, money laundering and conspiracy.

Harney, who lives in Evesham, N.J., was also charged with official misconduct.

 

[panoo]

Trooper pleads guilty in gambling case

Associated Press
8/3/2006 6:07:25 PM

MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. (AP) - A former New Jersey state trooper pleaded guilty Thursday to helping run a gambling ring and promised to help authorities with their case against former hockey star Rick Tocchet and others.

In a negotiated deal, James Harney, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, promoting gambling and official misconduct. He faces up to seven years in prison at his sentencing Oct. 27.

He had initially faced more than 25 years in prison.

The plea comes nearly six months after New Jersey authorities charged him, Tocchet and a third man, James Ulmer, with running a betting ring.

Authorities have said they did not expect to charge any of the bettors with crimes, and NHL officials say there were no bets on hockey games.

The NHL is holding its own probe into the betting allegations.

Harney resigned from his job Wednesday, apologizing for "the disgrace which I have placed upon the Division, myself and my family."

State police said this week that a grand jury has not yet been convened to consider whether to issue indictments in the case.

After Tocchet was charged, he took an indefinite leave of absence from his job as the top assistant coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

Kevin Marino, a lawyer for Tocchet, said there are reasons to not believe Harney's claims.

"He is not a concerned citizen acting out of a sense of civic duty. Rather, the former trooper is an interested party who has implicated Rick Tocchet as part of a bargain with the prosecution," Marino said in a statement.