Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor was in court Tuesday to plead not guilty to rape and other charges stemming from a May 6 encounter with a 16-year-old girl.
The not guilty plea was no surprise, as Taylor and his lawyer have steadfastly maintained that Taylor did not have sex with the girl, who has been described as a runaway who turned to prostitution.
Taylor was first accused in May of paying the girl $300 to have sex with him at a hotel in Suffern, New York. He was indicted in June on charges of third-degree rape, patronizing a prostitute and endangering a child. A man who was accused of bringing the girl to the hotel was also arrested.
Taylor, who is free on $75,000 bail, is expected to stand trial in early 2011.
