MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minnesota Twins star Kirby Puckett broke his silence Monday and
denied that he dragged a woman into the men’s room of an Eden Prairie restaurant last fall and groped her, saying instead he escorted her in on his arm “like a gentleman would.”
Puckett, 43, a Hall of Famer, 10-time All-Star and hero in the Twins’ two World Series championships, gave a markedly different account of events the night of Sept. 5 at the Redstone American Grill from his alleged victim.
A witness also testified that the woman bared her breasts to him earlier that evening and a forensic pathologist testified that the quick flashing could account for a small bruise seen by police and a doctor on the woman’s right breast several days after that night.
Monday’s testimony was a chance for Puckett to refute the story of the alleged victim, a 34-year-old Bloomington woman who had taken the stand for the prosecution last Thursday and testified tearfully at times that a large man grabbed her, dragged her into the restaurant’s men’s room and pushed her into a stall.
There, she testified, the man bent her over a toilet and groped her breast. She was later examined by a doctor and photographed by Eden Prairie police, and found to have bruises on her arm, ankle and right breast.
The alleged victim works as a mortgage loan officer. The St. Paul Pioneer Press generally does not name people who report being victims of sexual assault.
Puckett, charged with one count of felony false imprisonment and two misdemeanor counts of criminal sexual conduct and assault, faces up to a year in jail if convicted.
Under questioning from his chief attorney, B. Todd Jones, Puckett denied assaulting the woman.
Puckett’s testimony was his first telling of the events of that night. He had not given a statement to police, authorities said.
Puckett was somber on the stand, peering out behind dark glasses he wears due to his glaucoma. He said he went to the restaurant with two friends to celebrate the birthday of one of those friends, Dwayne Harris of Eagan, who helps Puckett try to stay in shape at the Lifetime Fitness center in downtown St. Paul, where Harris is operations manager.
Harris testified that he followed Puckett to the men’s room that night and was shocked when he saw the alleged victim emerge from the men’s room right before Puckett was about to enter.
Harris said he watched Puckett and the woman enter the men’s room together, and then the woman leave “not more than 10 seconds” later.
When the trial resumes Tuesday, Prosecutor Alan Harris said he’ll call up to five witnesses. Closing arguments are expected Wednesday.