Post by CandyKANE on Oct 11, 2002 12:27:34 GMT -5
credit: espn.com
BOSTON -- A convicted killer was sentenced to 7-to-10 years in prison and another defendant was given one year for attacking Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce in a nightclub two years ago.
Both men were acquitted Monday of trying to kill Pierce but were convicted of assault and battery charges.
William Ragland also was convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a knife) and received the longer sentence. He'll serve it after completing 21-to-25 years he now is serving for unrelated convictions. Trevor Watson, given the one-year sentence, also had 1½ years suspended.
A third defendant, Anthony Hurston, was acquitted of all charges.
Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said neither the team nor Pierce planned to comment on the sentences.
Pierce was stabbed in Boston's theater district Sept. 25, 2000.
During the three-week trial, the prosecution's star witness refused to testify and fainted after she was sentenced to three months in jail for contempt of court.
She later testified, but recanted her earlier grand jury testimony, when she identified Watson and Ragland as the men she saw stabbing Pierce. She said she never saw either man with a knife that night.
BOSTON -- A convicted killer was sentenced to 7-to-10 years in prison and another defendant was given one year for attacking Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce in a nightclub two years ago.
Both men were acquitted Monday of trying to kill Pierce but were convicted of assault and battery charges.
William Ragland also was convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (a knife) and received the longer sentence. He'll serve it after completing 21-to-25 years he now is serving for unrelated convictions. Trevor Watson, given the one-year sentence, also had 1½ years suspended.
A third defendant, Anthony Hurston, was acquitted of all charges.
Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said neither the team nor Pierce planned to comment on the sentences.
Pierce was stabbed in Boston's theater district Sept. 25, 2000.
During the three-week trial, the prosecution's star witness refused to testify and fainted after she was sentenced to three months in jail for contempt of court.
She later testified, but recanted her earlier grand jury testimony, when she identified Watson and Ragland as the men she saw stabbing Pierce. She said she never saw either man with a knife that night.