clarinews@clarinet.com (MARC McFARLAND) (02/02/90)
SEATTLE (UPI) -- Two bar bouncers accused of trying to extort $50,000 from Seattle SuperSonics guard Dale Ellis have pleaded innocent, the King County prosecutor's office revealed Thursday. Guy Thomas, 24, of Seattle and Russell Holladay, 22, of Federal Way entered the pleas to bribery charges in King County Superior Court earlier than scheduled at their request, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for County Prosecutor Norm Maleng. Thomas entered his plea Monday and Holladay entered his plea Wednesday, Donohoe said. The two initially were scheduled for arraignment Friday. Both men face a pre-trial hearing Feb. 12 before Judge Richard Ishikawa, Donohoe said. Holladay ``was freed on personal recognizance and ordered to have no contact with the victim or witnesses in the case,'' Donohoe said. Thomas was placed ``on supervised release and also ordered to have no contact with the victim or witnesses,'' Donohoe said. Ellis was seriously injured Jan. 12 in a single-car crash and subsequently charged with drunken and reckless driving. He faces arraignment on those charges Feb. 12 in Seattle District Court. Authorities charge Thomas and Holladay, both bouncers at a downtown Seattle bar Ellis patronized before the accident, told Ellis' attorney, Steven Hayne, they would give favorable testimony on Ellis' behalf in exchange for $50,000. Ellis was hospitalized for three broken ribs and a collapsed lung after his 1989 Mercedes ran into a traffic divider on an entrance to Interstate 5 near downtown Seattle. ``He's at home now and recovering nicely,'' Sonics spokesman Jim Rupp said Thursday. ``But we're not looking to have him back for about six more weeks.'' Maleng has said there was ``no evidence whatsoever'' Ellis used drugs before the accident. Thomas and Holladay work at one of two Seattle bars where prosecutors said Ellis drank four double shots -- 8 ounces -- of vodka in mixed drinks before the accident. Holladay and Thomas offered not to tell the court about Ellis' condition or that Thomas had to throw him out of the women's restroom at the bar in exchange for $50,000, according to court documents. Maleng said the bribery charges are more serious than attempted extortion charges and Holladay and Thomas, if convicted, could face up to 10 years in prison.