Sidebars from Monday’s federal college basketball corruption trial shed more light on why the defense claimed during closing arguments that Kansas coach Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend knew about payments that Adidas employees were making to players.
The Star discovered through a deeper examination of court transcripts that Adidas executive Jim Gatto’s attorney, Michael Schachter — during sidebar sessions that were not heard by the gallery or jury — spoke about additional interactions between Townsend and Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola. In doing this, Schachter was attempting to convince Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to allow additional texts and phone conversations into evidence.