A New York federal judge has denied former Miami Heat player Terry Rozier's request to modify his bail conditions, citing a previous violation that undermined his reliability while awaiting trial for sports bribery.
U. S.
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District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall rejected the motion to lift a travel ban to Canada and remove restrictions barring contact with 12 players, including seven former Charlotte Hornets teammates.
Court Cites Violation of Restrictions
Rozier is currently free on a $3 million bond secured by his South Florida residence after pleading not guilty to charges of bribery in sports, honest services wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.
Defense attorney David Markus argued that the communication constraints effectively ended Rozier's professional basketball career, as the restricted players are active across multiple teams.
“The court can fashion an order that permits … Mr. Rozier to play basketball,” Markus said.
The defense proposed that an attorney monitor Rozier's interactions during basketball activities, but the court deemed the arrangement unfeasible.
Judge Hall noted an incident where Rozier responded to a text from a person on the restricted list.
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“There's no question that he contacted them,” she said.
The court emphasized that Rozier's reply indicated a disregard for judicial directives.
“What that says to me is that he believes he knows better than the court,” Judge Hall stated.
The judge dismissed the monitoring proposal, remarking, “Unless you’re suiting up, that doesn’t help me.”
The court postponed reviewing international travel restrictions until Rozier secures a contract with a new team.
Markus expressed confidence in Rozier's innocence, saying, “I wish we were starting trial on this case, because Terry’s innocent and we look forward to showing the world that he had no involvement in this.”
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Rozier's federal criminal trial is scheduled to begin in February 2027.
