Police charged 2 women with sexually assaulting 3 football players from the University of North Carolina on December 16th. A male accomplice was charged with attempting to rob the same players.
The arrested are Tnika Monta Washington, 29, of Durham, Monique Jenice Taylor, 28, of Greenville and Michael Troy Lewis, 32, of Durham. Bail for all three was set initially at $500,000, but Washington's and Taylor's bails were reduced Thursday to $50,000. Lewis' remained at $500,000.
Taylor was charged with resisting a public officer, three counts of first-degree kidnapping, three counts of felony conspiracy, and three counts of first-degree sex offense. Washington's charges were the same, but included just one count of first-degree sex offense, according to court records.
Lewis was charged with three counts each of kidnapping, conspiracy, and attempted felony larceny, and two counts each of robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault on a government official, and one count of resisting an officer.
According to police, the three football players were out drinking and celebrating a birthday at a bar when they met the suspects, who gave the UNC students a ride home. The students invited the suspect trio up to their apartment. The women initially had consensual sexual contact with two of the football players, who then asked to stop. After the players decided they did not want to be touched anymore by the women, the women took things into their own hands.
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.
Lewis is accused of taking the contents of two wallets valued at $100, and trying to take $3,000 worth of computer and entertainment equipment. He is accused also of biting a police officer in the groin and pushing him down stairs to elude arrest Sunday, according to arrest warrants.
Lawyers for the two women tried to emphasize their family ties to the Marines.
Seahorn, who represents Washington, said her client has five children and is married but separated from a man who is in the Marines. Gerding said his client, Taylor, is from Pitt County and that her father is a retired sergeant in the Marines.
Both appeared in court via closed-circuit television from jail. When Taylor heard that her bail had been reduced to $50,000, she said, "Oh, thank you, Jesus."
In a news release, UNC coach Butch Davis said, "I am relieved that the players were not injured. We will assist them in any way we can." The players and their parents could not be reached for comments at this time.
(Update 1-5-07) All felony charges have been dropped against Tnikia Washington at this time. However, the investigation is still ongoing, and the player that has accused Washington of sexually assaulting him has not been interviewed by the district attorney's office. It is possible that Washington could be re-indicted February 4. At the probable cause hearing, Judge Alonzo Coleman found there is enough evidence against the other two suspects, Monique Taylor and Michael Lewis for their charges to remain pending.
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