Pacman gets probation for no-contest plea in Vegas

Suspended NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones pleaded no contest yesterday to a reduced charge in a Las Vegas strip club melee which preceded a triple shooting that left a man paralyzed.

The Tennessee Titans cornerback appeared in Clark County District Court to take a plea deal that officials said will get him probation in return for his testimony about the gunman who opened fire outside the club during the NBA All-Star weekend in February.

Jones will be sentenced to 1 year of probation for agreeing not to contest a charge of conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct, a gross misdemeanor, and to testify about the gunman.

Prosecutors dropped two charges of coercion, a felony carrying a possible sentence of 1 to 6 years in prison.

Clark County prosecutor Victoria Villegas has said authorities hope Jones can help identify the gunman.

Defense attorney Robert Langford has declined to say if Jones knows the shooter's identity. No one has been charged in the shooting, and Las Vegas police have not linked Jones to the gunfire.

Police have instead called Jones the instigator of the melee that broke out inside the club after he showered dancers with dollar bills pulled from a black plastic trash bag - a stunt known as "making it rain."

Witnesses told police that Jones and members of his entourage threatened people while they were being ejected, and that Jones spoke outside the club with the man who was suspected of opening fire minutes later.

Under the plea deal, Jones will receive a suspended 1-year jail sentence, must attend an anger management program, complete 200 hours of community service within a year and submit to random drug testing.

Two co-defendants in the case also took plea deals that Langford said should spare each jail time. Langford represents all three.

The three people wounded in the Feb. 19 shooting each have filed civil lawsuits seeking damages from Jones.

Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones for the 2007 season for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

* At least one suspect charged in the killing of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor was part of an break-in at the player's home 8 days before the shooting, according to newspaper reports.

* Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman has been put on notice by the NFL after indicating his desire for revenge on Lions quarterback Jon Kitna. Dallas plays at Detroit on Sunday.

"Be advised that your comments will now compel us to carefully monitor your activities in this weekend's Cowboys-Lions game," read part of the letter signed by Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president for football operations.

Kitna threw four touchdown passes against Dallas in the regular-season finale last year. In an interview the following week with a radio station in Seattle, where the Cowboys went for the playoffs, Kitna called out the Dallas defense, notably Newman and linebacker Bradie James.

"Your mouth can't write checks that your [bleep] can't cash," Newman said Tuesday on Sirius NFL Radio. "He better just hope I don't blitz off the edge, because I've got 15, 25, 30 [thousand dollars], however much it would be for a fine. I've got that much for one fine. Revenge will be sweet definitely."

* Pittsburgh second-year safety Anthony Smith said he isn't backing down from his guarantee that the Steelers will win at New Eng-land on Sunday.

* Atlanta named Chris Redman its starting quarterback for Monday's game against New Orleans.

* St. Louis placed kick returner Dante Hall on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.

* Backup running back Anthony Thomas' season is over (torn calf muscle), but Buffalo could have starter Marshawn Lynch (ankle) back Sunday against Miami.

* The remaining 47 pit bulls seized from suspended NFL star Michael Vick's dogfighting operation are being placed with rescue organizations. *