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Dennis Rodman ordered to stay away from ex-wife

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SANTA ANA, Calif.–Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman will remain under a restraining order barring him from contacting his ex-wife, but he can visit with their two children as long as an off-duty sheriff’s deputy is available to monitor, an Orange County Superior Court commissioner ruled today.

Rodman also will be able to give his 10-year-old son, Dennis Jr., known as DJ, and his 11-year-old daughter, Trinity, a pre-paid cell phone so he can speak with them, as well, according to Orange County Court Commissioner Renee Wilson’s order.

The restraining order stems from Michelle Rodman’s allegations during testimony Thursday that her ex-husband showed up unannounced at her Costa Mesa apartment about 2:30 a.m. May 28 and was acting drunk and “obnoxious.”

Wilson granted the temporary restraining order on May 30. A full trial on the restraining order and spousal support issues is scheduled for Oct. 23-24.

Another hearing will be held Aug. 17 on whether Rodman should pay his ex-wife’s attorneys’ fees.

Michelle Rodman’s attorney, Mary Ann Noiroux, told Wilson her clientcannot afford to pay her legal bills. Noiroux contends that Rodman can “fully afford” to pay for his own attorneys, and she claimed his representatives have publicly said Rodman is making a good income from appearances and special events.

Rodman appeared in a Santa Ana courtroom today with a T-shirt that read, “Born free, live free, die free.” He did not testify.

Rodman’s visits with the children can be up to four hours with the monitor. His ex-wife will not be present at the visits, the commissioner said.

Rodman had a busy court schedule today. He was due this afternoon in Orange before Commissioner Barry Michaelson, who will determine sentencing on a second contempt of court case and to calculate how much money the athlete owes his ex-wife.

On May 29, Michaelson sentenced Rodman to 104 hours of community service for falling behind in child and spousal support payments.

Attorney Jack Kayajanian, representing Michelle Rodman, has said the retired NBA star owes at least $750,000. His attorney, Linnea N. Willis, has disputed that amount.

Rodman also denies his ex-wife’s allegations in her testimony, including claims that he grabbed her by the arms and pushed her into her bedroom and that he ordered Jagermeister shots while at breakfast with his ex-wife and son at a Costa Mesa restaurant.

“Dennis denies the allegations Michelle has made,” Willis said. “We also have an independent witness who was also present and will contradict what Michelle has said. In addition, anyone who knows Dennis knows that he is not a violent person. Dennis’ agent, Darren Prince, says, ‘I have seen Michelle hit Dennis on numerous occasions, throw bottles at him, and yell at him obnoxiously, and Dennis walks away every time.”‘

Willis said Rodman does not wish to “bash” his ex-wife and that he considers her a “good mother.”

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