Trial For LI Ducks Manager, Former Mets Star Begins In Riverhead

RIVERHEAD, NY — The trial for Wally Backman, '86 Mets World Series star and the current manager of the Long Island Ducks baseball team, is set to commence in Riverhead Justice Court on Tuesday.

Backman was arrested in August; according to law enforcement officials, Riverhead police responded to a domestic dispute at a home at 7:42 a.m. on Aug. 30. Backman was arrested and charged with second-degree harassment and fourth-degree criminal mischief, police said. According to Newsday, authorities said Backman, of Deer Park, threw Byrnes against a wall, twisted her arm and hand and took her cellphone, so that she was unable to call police.

Backman, 59, was arraigned in a Riverhead court and released on his own recognizance.

Long Island Ducks president and general manager Michael Pfaff told Newsday at the time that were "in the process of gathering information and we will have no further comment at this time."

In 2004, the Arizona Diamondbacks fired Backman four days after hiring him as manager when they found out about previous arrests.

The Ducks named Backman manager in 2018. He previously coached in the Mets system.

Backman's trial will be presided over by Riverhead Justice Lori Hulse. His accuser, Amanda Byrnes, is set to testify, according to John Ray, Byrnes' Miller Place civil attorney.

According to a post in Newsday, in September, Byrnes filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Backman, alleging physical abuse, sexual harassment and alcohol abuse.

Stephen Civardi, Backman's Freeport-based attorney, could not immediately be reached for comment but told Newsday the allegations against his client were "baseless."