As Sentencing Date Looms, Karen Sypher, Convicted For Extorting Money From Rick "15 Seconds" Pitino, Fires James Earhart And Retains David B. Nolan.

Karen Sypher fires attorney prior to sentencing in Rick Pitino extortion case

The woman convicted of trying to extort money from University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino has replaced her attorney as her sentencing hearing nears.

A jury convicted Karen Sypher in August of three counts of extortion, two counts of lying to the FBI and a count of retaliation against a witness. Prosecutors said Sypher demanded millions in cash, cars and a house from Pitino to stay quiet about a sexual tryst between the two at a Louisville restaurant in 2003.

The group U.S. JusticeWatch says in a news release that Sypher has retained Washington, D.C., attorney David B. Nolan to replace s James Earhart, who represented her at trial.

Nolan has scheduled a news conference for Thursday at the Hotel Louisville.