Lawrence Taylor is defending himself in court.
The former Giants great pleaded not guilty to charges in Broward County, Fla., of failing to register as a sex offender, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
The 63-year-old was arrested in December after police said he had been living in a hotel for over six months without reporting the move to them. Taylor had been required to notify authorities of address changes as terms of a plea agreement stemming from accusations that he had sex with a 16-year-old girl in 2011. He said she had claimed to be 19 years old.
Taylor’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, argued Wednesday for the charges to be dropped, attributing the change-of-address issue to a mix-up, and saying it was less than a football field away from Taylor’s home.
“He registered,” Eiglarsh said. “He just put an address down that he thought was accurate. That’s the house he’s been living in for years. But he spent some time 50 yards away at a hotel that’s close to his house because of the marital problems he’s having.
“He took their instruction and still believed that his address was the home that he lived in for years, and he was still living in the pool house from time to time. So, he mixed his time there. So, did he violate the law? I don’t think so.”
Taylor is widely regarded as having been one of the greatest players in NFL history. He won two Super Bowls with the Giants.
He has also had well-documented struggles with the law and substance abuse. The former linebacker failed multiple tests for cocaine as a player and has been arrested on drug charges multiple times. He was also arrested for DUI in 2016.