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LAS VEGAS - A prosecutor served notice Wednesday that a grand jury may hear evidence that an associate of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. shot at a man who police said argued with the boxer.
The alleged incident happened last August at a Las Vegas skating rink.
Ocie Harris, 27, made a brief initial court appearance in a Las Vegas court on felony attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges. He was not asked to enter a plea, and declined comment leaving the courthouse in downtown Las Vegas.
Senior Clark County District Court Judge Joseph Bonaventure scheduled an evidentiary hearing for May 17. However, prosecutors Roy Nelson and Samuel Bateman served a document notifying Harris' lawyer, Tom Pitaro, that a grand jury could be asked before then to hear the evidence against Harris - and possibly against Mayweather.
Grand jury proceedings are secret. A preliminary hearing would be public. Either could result in the case being bound up for trial in state court. A conviction on all four charges could result in a sentence of up to 92 years in prison.
Mayweather, 33, has not been charged in the case. Police have said he is not a suspect, and his lawyer, Richard Wright, has said Mayweather had nothing to do with the shooting. Wright did not immediately respond Wednesday to a message seeking comment.
According to police, Mayweather and Harris were at the Crystal Palace Skating Center Aug. 23 when Mayweather argued with Quincey Williams about a text message Williams sent wishing the boxer bad luck in his next fight.
Mayweather is accused of threatening Williams inside the skating centre. And police said witnesses saw Harris talking with Mayweather minutes before Harris reportedly opened fire in the parking lot at a BMW sedan carrying Williams and another man, Damein Bland.
Neither Williams nor Bland was wounded. Police later recovered seven bullet casings and found six bullet holes in the BMW, according to a police report.
Police allege that Harris was standing next to Mayweather and another man during the shooting.
Mayweather later denied knowing anyone named Ocie or having any knowledge of a shooting. But police said the two men are linked through witnesses, surveillance videotapes and records seized when authorities served a search warrant at Mayweather's home.
Mayweather is undefeated as a professional boxer, with 40 wins - including 25 knockouts. He is due to fight Shane Mosley on May 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Mosley is 46-5, with 39 knockouts.
