Ray Lewis won the Super Bowl XXXV MVP (Most Valuable Player) Honors, Defensive Player of the Year, a unanimous All-Pro selection at middle linebacker and named starter in the Pro Bowl (Steele). His 2013 season stats are thirty-one tackles, two interceptions, a pass deflection, one fumble recovery, and a touchdown in the four-game playoff run. He is also eligible for the Hall of Fame in five years (New York Post). Even with that flawless record, every human makes mistakes. The ruling for the January 30, 2000 murder trial of Richard Lollar and Jacinth Baker, Ray Lewis walked away with probation and a fine, while his friends got jail time, the courts let him off easy according to the evidence, witness testimonies, and his violent history.
The three main suspects in this trial were Baltimore Ravens' linebacker Ray Lewis and his two friends, Joseph Sweeting and Reginald Oakley. They were all being prosecuted for the murders of Richard Lollar and Jacinth Backer. January 30, 2000 is when the event occurred and the trial began May 15, ending in late June. The suspects flew to Atlanta, GA the evening of January 30 to watch the Super Bowl 64, then went to the Cobalt Club around 1 a.m. (New York Post). Four Remy Martin cognacs and two and a half hours later, the three men decided it was time to leave. During the time of their exit, Oakley got aggressive with two other club goers. He was then struck in the head with a champagne bottle, but what happened next seems to be a blur for everyone. Lewis, Sweeting, and Oakley loaded up into the thirty-seven foot long stretch Lincoln Navigator, with 12 other unnamed passengers (Atlanta Daily World). By the next morning two men are found dead and thousands are questioning who did it.
After the Super Bowl, Ray Lewis, Joseph Sweeting, and Reginald Oakley, were looking for a place to celebrate and party. Around 1 a.m. they arrived at the Cobalt Club. Lewis went all out, dressed in a white and black suit, black mink coat, and an array of jewelry.
