Man convicted in assault of UNC football players
HILLSBOROUGH (AP) - A Durham man was sentenced to 23 years in prison after his conviction on Tuesday on charges stemming from the robbery of three UNC-Chapel Hill football players at knifepoint in their apartment.
The News & Observer of Raleigh reported that 33-year-old Michael Troy Lewis was found guilty by a jury Tuesday evening of first degree-kidnapping, conspiring with two women to commit larceny and kidnapping, common law robbery, misdemeanor assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
The 10-woman, two-man panel found Lewis not guilty of one charge of assault on a law enforcement officer after the three-day trial.
Russell Hollers, the defense lawyer who did not put any witnesses on the stand in defense of his client, announced plans to appeal the verdict.
The case stems from a reported robbery Dec. 12 at the apartment shared by two of the players. Police said one of the players met Lewis and two women at a Chapel Hill bar and invited them back to his apartment. Investigators said the players were tied up and robbed.
The men told police they were fondled against their will, and two players testified a man put a knife to their necks.
Lewis, who turned down a plea offer, denied tying up the players as he addressed Judge Carl Fox before the sentencing.
"I apologize for the people I injured, but I can only apologize for things I've done," Lewis said. "Nothing happened intentionally other than me stealing. The tying up never happened."
One of the women faces kidnapping and sex offense charges for reportedly fondling one of the players during the robbery. The three players were not identified because of the sex offense charges involved. The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual assaults.
