A federal judge has decided to revoke the bond for Deniro Laster, who is a co-defendant in the NBA gambling case involving former Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The decision came after prosecutors accused Rozier’s childhood friend of violating his release conditions.
“Rat Cartoon? Come On!”
US District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall ruled Tuesday, August 11, that Laster was unlikely to comply with the conditions of his bond, ordering him to be remanded into custody.
Prosecutors alleged that Laster tried to intimidate a potential witness by posting rat emojis on Instagram. He was also accused of contacting co-defendants and potential witnesses despite a court-ordered no-contact restriction.
During the hearing, Assistant US Attorney David Berman described Laster’s alleged conduct as “utterly egregious.”
The bond dispute became particularly contentious when Laster’s attorney, Matthew Evan Corcoran, attempted to characterize the Instagram post as a “rat cartoon.” Judge DeArcy Hall rejected the description and questioned whether the defense was minimizing the alleged conduct.
“Rat cartoon? Come on,” the judge said, according to the court proceedings.
Corcoran later argued that “sometimes a rat emoji is just a rat emoji.” DeArcy Hall responded that such an argument would be a poor one if that were the defense’s position.
The judge also challenged Corcoran when he argued that bond revocation typically follows a rearrest. “Tell me what happens often in these cases,” DeArcy Hall said. “I love being mansplained to.”
The court heard that Laster had also contacted an individual despite the no-contact order. Corcoran argued that the person was not specifically named on a no-contact list. However, the court noted that when such an order is in place, contact is generally permitted only through attorneys.
After the ruling, Laster was taken into custody by US Marshals.
The case centers on allegations that Rozier provided Laster with advance information about his planned early exit from a March 2023 game while playing for the Charlotte Hornets.
Prosecutors allege that Laster passed the information to sports bettors, who then proceeded to wager on Rozier’s statistical performance. Authorities further claim that Rozier and Laster agreed to a payment of roughly $70,000.
Rozier was present in court during Tuesday’s hearing. Judge DeArcy Hall also rejected his request to move the case from New York to Florida.
The judge addressed another issue involving public statements and emphasized that prosecutors do not allege Rozier is a gang member, after his defense raised concerns that filings could create that impression.