Gillispie Offered Plea Bargain In DUI Case

By JEFFREY McMURRAY, Associated Press Writer

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (AP) – An attorney for Billy Gillispie says the former Kentucky basketball coach has received a “reasonable offer” for a plea bargain in his drunken driving case but hasn’t decided whether he will take it.

William Patrick said Wednesday that he has had several discussions with Anderson County attorney Bobbi Jo Lewis over the last few days about reaching a deal on the DUI charge. A pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 5 in Anderson County, and Patrick said Gillispie would need to be there if a plea bargain is imminent.

“Once coach Gillispie and I have a chance to review that and discuss it, he will make a decision on how we’re going to proceed,” Patrick said.

Lewis, participating in informal conferences Wednesday with attorneys for various cases, confirmed she had made Gillispie an offer but couldn’t discuss it.

Gillispie was arrested Aug. 27 and charged with DUI after refusing sobriety tests during an early morning traffic stop in which officers said they smelled alcohol on his breath. Gillispie was jailed overnight in neighboring Franklin County and arraigned the next morning.

In a court document filed Monday, Lewis outlined some of the evidence she has against Gillispie, including audio recordings of the 911 call reporting a vehicle driving erratically, video and audio recordings of the field sobriety tests, and video and audio recordings made at the police department.

Patrick confirmed Gillispie has checked into the John Lucas Athletes After Care Program in Texas for alcohol rehabilitation.

“His spirits are good, and he seems to be doing well,” Patrick said.

Gillispie was fired this year after a rocky two-year tenure in which the Wildcats went 40-27. He has sued the university, contending he is owed millions of dollars in severance pay.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)