After three days of testimony that graphically recounted NBC sportscaster Marv Albert’s unusual sex practices, from cross-dressing to group sex, Albert pleaded guilty to assault and battery for biting a 42-year-old woman with whom he had had a previous sexual relationship. He accepted a plea bargain in exchange for prosecutors dropping the more serious charge of forcible sodomy.
Albert faces up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine for biting the woman and forcing her to perform oral sex. The guilty plea came soon after the prosecution produced a second witness who alleged Albert had violently bitten her as well. DNA evidence proved that Albert had bitten the victim and engaged in intercourse with her, but the prosecution depended on proving that the encounter went far beyond what the woman wanted. After the guilty plea, NBC fired Albert.
Judy Mueller, executive director of the Women’s Center in Vienna, VA said the case represented a victory for women because it “demonstrates that even in a consensual relationship, violence and assault are not acceptable.”
