Strawberry in Court As a Witness

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) â€” Former Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry was back in court Thursday, but this time as a witness in an attempted murder trial. <br><br>Strawberry testified that he urged Joe Earl Harrison,

Friday, November 17th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) â€” Former Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry was back in court Thursday, but this time as a witness in an attempted murder trial.

Strawberry testified that he urged Joe Earl Harrison, a friend, to turn himself in after Harrison confided during a group-support meeting that he had shot someone.

The embattled outfielder drove Harrison to the Hillsborough County Jail to surrender, Strawberry told Circuit Judge J. Rogers Padgett. Harrison is accused of shooting at Elisha Scarborough five times, hitting him once in the head.

Harrison was ``upset, shaky and crying and thought he needed to protect himself from this man,'' Strawberry testified. ``He pretty much feared this guy. He feared for his life. This guy wasn't going to leave him alone.''

Strawberry said Harrison's face was still bloody from a beating when he saw him Dec. 28, 1999, following Harrison's fight with Scarborough at a grocery store.

Strawberry, dressed in light blue slacks and pullover, was released from jail Tuesday. The eight-time All-Star player looked thin and pale and answered questions from attorneys in a soft spoken voice.

Strawberry, who has struggled with alcohol, drug addiction and cancer, had tried to avoid taking the stand for health reasons. His attorney, Joe Ficarrotta, made an unsuccessful bid for Strawberry to testify instead by videotape, saying he was still weak from an August operation for abdominal cancer and removal of a kidney.

Strawberry also is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer.

Strawberry was released from prison on Tuesday after serving 21 days of a 30 day sentence for violating house arrest in October and using drugs. He was ordered to return to HealthCare Connections of Tampa, a residential drug treatment facility.

He was arrested Oct. 25 after leaving the center for four hours to use crack cocaine and Xanax with a friend. That was the third time he had violated probation.

However, it was his first stint in jail in spite of a history of drug trouble. Strawberry told the judge on Nov. 9 that the experience behind bars was enough to teach him a lesson.

``I can't run from myself any more,'' Strawberry said. ``I've got to take responsibility for myself in recovery.''

Circuit Court Judge Florence Foster decided to give him one more chance.

Less than a week earlier, Strawberry had told the same judge he was using drugs and stopped chemotherapy because he wanted to die.

Strawberry's release this week ended a difficult stay at jail. His attorney complained that the ball player was held in a cell for 23 hours a day.

Strawberry was housed in the jail's medical wing because of his illness.

He was sentenced to two years house arrest in September after violating probation for a 1999 drug and soliciting prostitution arrest.

Strawberry violated probation by driving under the influence of prescription pain killers, causing a minor car accident.