The Iowa Supreme Court denied the attorney general request to reconsider a ruling.
NBA basketball newsThe Iowa Supreme Court denied the attorney general request to reconsider a ruling. That allows former Iowa basketball player Pierre Pierce to play professionally in France.
In its ruling Wednesday, the Supreme Court denied the states request to reconsider its order, and to have the case reviewed by the full court, not a panel of judges.
Pierce, once the third leading scorer in the Big Ten, pleaded guilty in August 2005 to third-degree burglary, false imprisonment, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and criminal trespass. He served 11 months in prison before he was released in September 2006 and placed on probation.
Earlier this week, a three judge panel of the Iowa Supreme Court upheld a Dallas County District Courts Sept. 12 ruling that Pierce could travel to France and complete his probation from there.
The attorney generals office had argued against the move and received a stay of the lower courts ruling. State officials contended that the judge abused his judicial discretion by allowing Pierce to leave the country.
The Supreme Court also denied a request by Pierces attorney, Alfredo Parrish, for sanctions against prosecutors, including the awarding of attorney fees. A telephone message left Wednesday afternoon for Parrish wasnt immediately returned.
Pierce has signed a $120,000 contract with a team in Frances top professional basketball league.
The charges in the case resulted in his being kicked off the Iowa basketball team. Pierce, who led the Hawkeyes with 16.1 points a game as a sophomore in 2003-04, had been a leading Big Ten scorer.
Pierce was sentenced in April to 30 days in jail for violating his probation while playing in an NBA summer league in Las Vegas.
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