Lawyer: Bush skips scheduled deposition

Reggie Bush failed to show up for a scheduled deposition on Monday, the latest twist in the civil lawsuit against the former Heisman Trophy winner who allegedly accepted cash and gifts from sports marketers during his sophomore and junior seasons at Southern California.

"He literally ran from his deposition," said Brian Watkins, the attorney for sports marketer Lloyd Lake, who is suing Bush.

Watkins said he received a fax from one of Bush's attorneys saying the New Orleans Saints' running back wouldn't be coming.

Bush's attorney, David Cornwell, declined to comment.

"I have nothing to provide for you," Cornwell said when reached on his cell phone.

Watkins requested that Bush bring extensive financial records, including those documenting the purchase of a car, as well as canceled rent checks for the suburban San Diego home where his parents lived and for a condo in Los Angeles.

Lake is seeking to recoup some $291,000 in cash and gifts the star running back and his family allegedly accepted from Lake and his former partner, Michael Michaels, while Bush was at USC.

Lake claims he gave Bush cash to buy a car and that Michaels allowed Bush's parents to live rent-free in a San Diego-area home. Lake and Michaels were trying to attract Bush as a client for their marketing firm, New Era.

Michaels settled with Bush in 2007.

The latest development came 13 days after Lake and Watkins walked out of a deposition after a man accompanying Cornwell opened his jacket to expose a pistol.

Watkins said Bush's lawyers are trying to keep transcripts of Bush's deposition from being given to the NCAA.

"The NCAA has asked for a copy of Reggie Bush's deposition transcripts. I told them we will definitely consider it," Watkins said. "They want to prevent that from happening."

The NCAA and Pac-10 are investigating whether Bush and his parents took improper benefits during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Bush has not met with NCAA and Pac-10 investigators.

Bush has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

If Bush is found retroactively ineligible, he could lose his Heisman.

If the NCAA determines that USC violated rules, the football program could have to forfeit victories from those seasons — when the Trojans won a national championship and lost in the BCS title game against Texas — and face additional penalties.