updated 9:13 a.m. ET March 3, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS - The prosecutor in the Minnesota Vikings’ boat party case denied Thursday that race played any role in his decision to charge four black players and not two white men for their alleged conduct on a cruise last October.

Lawyers for Minnesota Vikings players Daunte Culpepper and Moe Williams accused prosecutor Steven Tallen of racial discrimination on Wednesday. They served a motion on Tallen asking for the dismissal of charges against the two players, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Culpepper, Williams, Fred Smoot and Bryant McKinnie face trial on misdemeanor charges of indecent conduct and lewdness for their alleged behavior on two cruise boats last October on Lake Minnetonka. They have pleaded not guilty.

In their motion, defense attorneys allege Hennepin County sheriff’s investigators have evidence that a boat captain and another man — both white — engaged in indecent conduct but were not charged.

“These two white males were never charged, yet Mr. Williams and Mr. Culpepper, who are African-American males were charged. The facts presented suggested that Mr. Williams and Mr. Culpepper were singled out,” the players’ attorneys wrote.

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Tallen accused the defense lawyers of playing “the race card” to cloud the real issues.

“Prosecuting people simply to avoid being called a racist would not be an ethical thing to do,” Tallen said. “It’s too bad when experienced, qualified lawyers resort to calling names because, I assume, they don’t have a good legal defense. They want to try it in the papers, which I don’t want to do.”

Culpepper and Williams are accused of getting lap dances during the party. Smoot and McKinnie also have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges over other alleged lewd acts. They did not join in the motion for dismissal. Trials for the four are set for April and May.

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