Federal judge denies request to move trial over alleged extortion case involving Pitino

Extortion trial involving Pitino won’t be moved

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A federal judge has denied a request to move the trial of a woman charged with trying to extort $10 million from University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III ruled Monday that Karen Cunagin Sypher couldn’t show that pretrial publicity warrants the unusual step of relocating the case.

Sypher is accused of trying to extort money from Pitino and lying to the FBI. Her trial is set to start July 26.

Sypher’s attorney, James Earhart, argued that extensive publicity made it impossible for Sypher to get a fair hearing before a jury. Prosecutors said the publicity wasn’t pervasive and that a suitable jury could be found in the Louisville area.