HILLSBOROUGH— The man accused of tying up and robbing two UNC football players during Winter Break last year saw his first day in court Wednesday.
The attorneys picked a jury and the state began its case against Michael Troy Lewis33 who faces several felony counts and at least eight years in prison if convicted.
The prosecution says that three football players were celebrating a 21st birthday early Dec. 16 when one of the players met Lewis and two women Tnikia Monta Washington and Monique Jenice Taylor at a Franklin Street bar.
The player then invited the three to his apartment where prosecutors say the robbery and kidnappings took place.
The victims have testified that at the apartment Lewis a Durham resident tied two of the football players up and put a sharp object possibly a knife to their neck.
Events that night remain unclear but around 3:20 a.m. the victims called the police.
The two women were arrested that night but Lewis got away.
He bit in the groin and pushed down a flight of stairs the officer who attempted to arrest him according to warrants.
Police originally charged all three with sexually assaulting the players but dropped the felony charges when only two of the victims could testify during Winter Break.
The Daily Tar Heel is not identifying the football players because of a policy against naming the complainants in cases that involve sexual offenses.
Charges against Washington were later dropped and Taylor faces lesser charges.
In court Wednesday the emergency dispatcher testified and Assistant District Attorney Morgan Whitney played 911 calls from the victims.
Upon adjourning Chief Superior Court Judge Carl Fox warned the jurors to avoid paying attention to the many media sources that were around the court Wednesday.
Court will resume at 9:30 a.m. today when the prosecution plans to call the Chapel Hill police officers who responded to the incidents.
The trial is expected to last through Monday when the victims will appear in court to testify.
Whitney will prosecute Taylor for similar charges in a separate trial. Taylor is still charged with a misdemeanor count of sexual battery.
The prosecution could not prove probable cause to pursue charges against Washington.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
Kidnapping trial begins
Michael Troy Lewis, 33, sits in court on the first day of his trial on Wednesday. Lewis faces multiple felonies in connection with the December 16th charged kidnapping of three UNC football players.
