A federal judge has granted football booster Logan Young the right to subpoena materials from University of Tennessee football coach Philip Fulmer and the NCAA about the NCAA investigation of Young.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Diane Vescovo denied the government’s request to keep the materials from Young and his attorneys. Young, a wealthy Memphis businessman, faces trial May 3rd on charges of conspiracy and hiding bank withdrawals the government believes were used to pay $150,000 to former high school football coach Lynn Lang to send star lineman Albert Means to Alabama.
Fulmer and the NCAA have until April 2nd to produce the materials.
Young’s attorneys believe the government’s case closely tracks the NCAA investigation of Young and the Alabama football program. The materials focus on interviews with Tom Culpepper, an Alabama booster who may be called as a witness by the government. Fulmer secretly taped 90 minutes of a meeting he had with Culpepper. Fulmer’s role as a confidential source for the NCAA against Alabama came out earlier this year.
The defense has indicated it may call Fulmer as a witness and needs his notes and tapes to “refresh his recollection,” according to court filings. The NCAA materials include records of at least six meetings with Lang’s assistant, Milton Kirk, according to court papers.
Lang and Kirk have pleaded guilty. Lang has not been sentenced and is expected to testify at Young’s trial for the government. Fulmer and the NCAA are not parties to the case.
