Police are continuing to investigate an alleged sexual assault and robbery against three University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football players at an off-campus apartment Dec. 16.
Three suspects, Michael Lewis, T'Nikia Washington and Monique Taylor were originally charged with kidnapping, robbing and sexually assaulting the players. After a probable cause hearing Jan. 4, District Court Judge Alonzo Coleman dismissed the seven felony charges against Washington.
UNC center Lowell Dyer and another player testified that they and a third player went out drinking at several bars on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill just before midnight on Dec. 15 for Dryer's 21st birthday.
The third player, who has not yet testified, was separated from the other two during the course of the night.
When Dyer and his teammate returned to their apartment, Dyer went immediately to bed. His teammate walked down the hall to find the third player in a bedroom with the two women, Taylor and Washington. Lewis was also at the apartment naked and holding a paring knife.
Lewis has told the police that the third player, who has not yet testified, propositioned the two women outside of a bar and brought them back to the apartment.
"In all honesty, I wanted to give [the third player] a hard time about what he was doing and tell all the guys a story the next day," the second player said.
When he entered the bedroom, he said Washington and the third player moved to a chair. Taylor then pushed him down on the bed, unclothed him and began to bind his hands with a belt.
When he resisted, the player said Lewis held a knife to his throat and threatened his life while Taylor fondled him.
He added that the knife broke his skin.
"I repeatedly said, 'No, no. I don't want any of this. What are you doing? Quit tying me up.' And I made that very clear," he said.
The defense said the encounter was consensual. The player maintains it was until Taylor began to bind him.
The witnesses also said Lewis stole home electronics.
Dyer testified that he was not sexually assaulted but that Lewis later stole his wallet and demanded his bank PIN number at knifepoint.
Lewis is jailed on $500,000 bail on charges of kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, robbery and sexual assault. Taylor posted $50,000 bail last month but still faces charges.
Orange-Chatham County District Attorney Jim Woodall said a grand jury could still indict Washington after his office interviews the third player who did not testify at the hearing. That player is the one who witnesses said had contact with Washington.
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