| Mike Tyson Set For Rape Trial Next Year Following Alleged Albany Incident Next summer, Mike Tyson, the famous former heavyweight boxer, could face a trial for an alleged rape he is accused of in Albany, New York. Mike Tyson has denied the allegation, claiming his innocence. This story begins in 1988, when Tyson was accused of raping an 18 year old woman in Albany. The woman stated that Tyson threatened to kill her if she told anyone. Despite his denials, Tyson was found guilty at trial and served three years in prison. Since the allegations were first made in 1988, Tyson has become a household name in the boxing world. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 and later held the title of WBC/WBA champion from 1996 to 1996. This fame made the allegations resurface in 2004, when the woman behind the accusation decided to demand a trial against Tyson. The case was delayed in 2006 when the woman's attorney became ill and died. Tyson's attorney has since pushed for the case to be dismissed based on the eleven-year statute of limitations for the charge. The judge, however, has denied this request. Tyson's attorney believes the trial will start sometime next summer, as the pretrial hearings are currently being scheduled for March and April. For over twenty years, Mike Tyson has endured the allegations of rape and the stigma associated with it. And while a trial next summer would bring closure to the matter, the legal proceedings will still be a test of his strength as a public figure. The allegations of rape have defined the Mike Tyson height for many who remember the case from 1988, and a summer trial could determine whether or not the former champion can still stand tall in the boxing world. |