Dedric Lawson was accused of walking out on an $88 tab, according to a police report obtained by the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, but the general manager of the restaurant released a statement clearing the player of wrongdoing.
Here’s what was alleged to have happened: Lawson was at a restaurant in Overton Square in Memphis at 1:30 a.m. when he was handed a bill for more than $88 by a waitress. That waitress, who said she went to high school with Lawson, told police that he walked out of the bar and got into a Nissan Maxima and left without paying the bill.
Dedric has denied the allegation. Appearing on 92.9 FM, an ESPN radio station in Memphis, he said that he ordered two drinks worth a total of $10.50 and gave the waitress $12, but she wanted him to pay for drinks that were ordered by other people for other people. He did not order or drink those drinks, Lawson said, so he did not want to pay for them.
The general manager seemed to confirm Lawson’s story.
“Mr. Lawson is a great patron of our restaurant, and we appreciate his business,” Bar Louie general manager Sean Taylor told the Kansas City Star. “We look forward to having him back as a valued guest.”
Lawson transferred from Memphis to Kansas this offseason. He was suspended by the Jayhawks for an altercation in practice last month and left home from the team’s trip to Italy earlier this month. He averaged 19.9 points and 9.2 boards for the Tigers last season, and will be sitting out this year as a transfer at Kansas.
“I spoke with Dedric. He explained, and I’m totally comfortable with it,” head coach Bill Self told the Star.
Late on Wednesday, another former Tiger, Joe Jackson, was arrested on felony drug and gun charges.