There are numerous shocking things about this story. One of them is UNC having a football program. The rest would be pretty much everything else. Jessica Rocha’s story originated in the Raleigh News-Observer, and arrives (as per usual) via Brendan Flynn, who just reads a lot more than I do.


(T)the three players went to a couple of downtown Chapel Hill bars to celebrate one of their birthdays. They met (Tnika Monta) Washington, (Monique Jenice) Taylor and (Michael Troy) Lewis (above), who gave the players a ride home, according to police and attorneys for the accused. Then the players invited the three up to the apartment.

One of the players was very drunk and was taken to lie down, according to a police report that Whitney cited.

The other two apparently had some consensual sexual contact with the women, but became uncomfortable and wanted to stop, Whitney said. At some point the players’ hands were bound with tape, Chapel Hill police said in a news release.

One of the players called 911, and police arrived about 3:30 a.m., finding two of the men in their boxers. The third player was clothed, Whitney said.

One player said when he asked a woman to stop touching him, both Taylor and Washington began punching him in the head, Whitney said.

In one account given in court Thursday, one player said Lewis stood naked with a butcher knife at his neck, that the player’s pants were pulled off and that someone tried to tie his hands with a belt.

When the player protested, Lewis told him “he needed to chill out,” Whitney said. Lewis pressed the knife closer to his neck while Taylor fondled him, Whitney said.

Defense attorneys Susan Seahorn and Glenn Gerding both said the sexual activity appeared to have been consensual.