Judge declines to remove himself in Prentiss Elliot case

<br> <br>(Tulsa-AP) -- The judge in the assault trial of high-school football star Prentiss Elliot has refused to disqualify himself from the case after a defense attorney alleged he had ``personal animosity''

Thursday, March 18th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Tulsa-AP) -- The judge in the assault trial of high-school football star Prentiss Elliot has refused to disqualify himself from the case after a defense attorney alleged he had ``personal animosity'' against him.

District Judge Tom Thornbrugh says defense attorney Richard O'Carroll made ``patently false and outrageous'' claims regarding an alleged confrontation between the two.

O'Carroll claims Thornbrugh falsely called him dishonest and berated him in a hallway after the judge was excused from a case O'Carroll was arguing.

Thornbrugh claims there is no factual basis for his removal.

Elliot has been ordered to stand trial on a felony charge of assault and battery of a police officer. He's accused of pushing a security officer at a high-school basketball game and taking a swing at him.

The running back has committed to Oklahoma State.