Camby ‘Friend’ Contradicts Player’s Blackmail Assertion

Granville T. Glasco, describing himself as a longtime friend of basketball star Marcus Camby, Wednesday challenged allegations that lawyer Wesley S. Spears was blackmailing the University of Massachusetts athlete.

Glasco said Spears did not threaten Camby at a May 16 meeting at Spears’ home in West Hartford, Conn.

In a three-page statement provided by Spears’ lawyer, Glasco provided a detailed description of the meeting, at which, according to Camby, Spears threatened to expose improper gifts to him and his friends.

Glasco, 35, also said that Spears told him “he had put out over $75,000 in cash, jewelry, rental cars, airline tickets and rental vehicles for Marcus and his friends.”

Earlier Wednesday, Camby and his attorney, James Bryant, met with state prosecutors to file a complaint against Spears. The prosecutors said later they were initiating a criminal investigation in an attempt to determine whether Spears tried to blackmail or coerce Camby into hiring him as his agent.