NFL Great Lawrence Taylor Rape Trail May Start In January

The criminal rape trial of former NFL Giants football great  Lawrence Taylor could kick off as soon as January, a source said Tuesday.

Taylor, 51, who is accused of having unlawful intercourse with a 16-year-old prostitute in a Rockland County hotel room, said nothing during a court hearing held Tuesday.

A plea bargain deal appears unlikely, as prosecutors insist that Taylor plea to a felony count of statutory rape, six months in jail and a mandatory 10-year probation according to assistant district attorney Arthur Ferraro.

On Tuesday, Ferraro asked the Justice William Kelly to suppress all evidence and statements Taylor gave police because they had no warrant when they nabbed the NFL hall-of-famer back in May.

Mr. Taylor was alone, sleeping in his hotel room at the time of the arrest in the early morning hours," according to the motion, which called the seizure of evidence "patently illegal."

State Prosecutors countered by holding that there was enough probable cause to merit Taylor's arrest. "Anything that occurred was done properly and in accordance with the law," Ferraro told the News.

Justice Kelly sided with prosecutors but will allow defense lawyers to resubmit Taylor's arguments.

The judge scheduled a Jan. 6 pretrial hearing, in which cops will testify about statements Taylor gave following his arrest.