FBI Is Looking Into Gooden Incident

TAMPA, Fla. — While attorneys continued to seek a settlement of charges pending in the arrest of Dwight Gooden, the FBI acknowledged Thursday that it has started a probe aimed at determining if the New York Mets pitcher’s civil rights have been violated.

Meanwhile, plans were announced for Gooden to appear at a news conference at the office of his agent, Jim Neader, in St. Petersburg, Fla., this afternoon.

Gooden, 22, and four companions, two of them minor league baseball players, were arrested last Saturday night after the pitcher was stopped for a possible traffic violation. Gooden suffered minor injuries in a brawl with police officers.