Larkai ordered to trial after woman testifies of rape

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PHILADELPHIA -- A former member of the La Salle men's basketball will stand trial on a rape charge after a former member of the women's team testified he had sex with her last year while she was asleep.

Dzaflo Larkai was ordered to stand trial by a judge following the woman's testimony Tuesday. An arraignment was scheduled for Jan. 18.

Assistant District Attorney James Carpenter said it's against the law to have sex with a sleeping person. Defense lawyer Colin Hueston contends the woman was awake and the sex was consensual.

The woman told authorities this year that she had informed both women's coach John Miller and men's coach Billy Hahn in 2003 about the alleged assault, but declined to file charges at the coaches' urging. Both coaches denied that account.

The alleged attack was not reported to police for another 14 months, when another young woman testified she was raped by two of Larkai's teammates. Gary Neal and Michael Cleaves are awaiting trial in that case.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press

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