Footballer Ched Evans served just half of a five-year sentence following his conviction for the rape of a 19-year-old girl. The unrepentant 23-year-old, who played for both English third tier club Sheffield United and Wales, still denies any wrongdoing, arguing that the incident that took place in a hotel room was consensual. Evans is now hoping to resume his successful career and rejoin United.
Metro’s roundup of convicted athletes
Boxer Mike Tyson, who was convicted in 1992 of raping Desiree Washington – a contestant in Miss Black America pageant – was sentenced to 10 years but was later reduced to six before finally serving three years. He still strenuously contests the conviction, raising issues with the judge as an advocate of rape shield (limits the ability of the defendant’s counsel to introduce the accuser’s sexual history as evidence) and dismissing Washington by pointing out the fact that the teenager had claimed that she had been raped before.
In 2000, Super Bowl champion Ray Lewis, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, was charged with two counts of murder and felony murder after Richard Lollar and Jacinth Baker were stabbed to death outside an Atlanta nightclub hours after the Super Bowl. Lewis was fined $250,000 by the NFL and served one year of probation after he testified against friends Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting.
In 2000, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth shot girlfriend Cherica Adams four times in the back. Adams, who was eight months pregnant at the time, died but the baby was saved via emergency caesarean section. Her premature son, Chancellor Lee, now suffers from cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair.
Former pitcher Ugueth Urbina – Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies – was charged with attempted murder in 2005 after employees at his farm said he attacked them with a machete. He was sentenced to 14 years but was released after seven in December 2012.
