Biker told to lose face tattoo or leave cycling team

By: Associated Press | Tuesday, March 1, 2005 9:57 PM PST ∞

SACRAMENTO -- A professional cycling team has told one of its new riders to remove his head-turning face-and-scalp tattoo or stop riding.

The San Francisco-area Webcor cycling team signed former Lance Armstrong teammate David Clinger to a contract in late 2004 and were excited to land one of the most gifted road racers in North America. But when Clinger showed up at training camp recently, team officials saw Clinger's tattoo and balked, he said.

The tattoo is modeled after that of a Maori warrior of New Zealand. Team officials say they are concerned it could upset team sponsors, which include Webcor Builders, PowerBar and Nike Cycling.

"It's certainly outside what anybody's expectations would be. People are scratching their heads. It's hard not to," Frank Scioscia, one of the team's managers, told The Sacramento Bee. "There have been sponsors who expressed that it doesn't quite fit with what they want to be associated with, but no one has raked us over the coals."

Scioscia said Clinger may be allowed to race while going through laser treatments to remove the tattoo, or he might be sidelined until it is completely gone.

Clinger, who lives in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, said he's had one laser procedure to start the removal process, but said it could take months and up to $10,000 to remove the rest.

"I knew the team might not like it, but I went ahead and did it anyway. I wouldn't think they would fire me," Clinger said. "I was having new experiences throughout the world. I read about this stuff in a book why (the Maori) did it and what they did. ... It's like anything else, if you want to do it, you do it no matter what."

Clinger, who raced last year for the highly regarded Italian-based Domina Vacanze team, said he paid $150 for the tattoo during a trip to Argentina. It took two days to complete, he said.

Clinger continues to train in Southern California, often riding for five to six hours at a time.

Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com

Singer Chaka Khan's son pleads innocent to murder charge

North County Times wire services

LOS ANGELES - Singer Chaka Khan's 25-year-old son pleaded innocent Tuesday to a murder charge stemming from the shooting of a teenager last September.

Over the prosecution's objection, Superior Court Judge Paula Adele Mabrey agreed to reduce Damien Patrick Holland's bail from $2 million to $500,000.

He is due back at the Airport Branch Courthouse in Los Angeles on March 15 for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.

Holland's mother was in court for the hearing, and he was represented by attorney Robert Shapiro.

Holland walked into the LAPD's Pacific Area police station in Venice yesterday after he learned that the District Attorney's Office had filed a murder charge against him, police said in a written statement.

The murder charge stems from the Sept. 24, 2004, death of Chris Bailey, 17, who was shot during an argument in Holland's Westchester home, authorities said.

Shortly after the shooting, police had said the gun discharged when Holland and Bailey struggled for control of the weapon.

Holland was arrested the day of the shooting, but was released two days later when prosecutors declined to file charges pending further investigation into the shooting.

Holland had maintained the shooting was accidental, police said last year.

Detectives have since located witnesses, which led to the case being filed, according to police.

The murder charge, filed Feb. 24 in a felony complaint for arrest warrant and publicly announced Tuesday, includes the allegation that Holland "personally and intentionally discharged a firearm."

His mother is known for such hits as "I Feel for You" and Tell Me Something Good."

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