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 Wednesday, February 2
Stab wounds yield clues in Atlanta killings
 
Associated Press

 ATLANTA -- The two men killed in a brawl that led to murder charges against NFL star Ray Lewis were stabbed to death by someone who "knew something about anatomy," a medical examiner said Wednesday.

The two victims' wounds were directly to major organs and both men quickly bled to death, said Dr. John Parker, a Fulton County associate medical examiner.

"A lot of times in a fight with a knife, we'll see just mayhem, people swinging wildly, abrasions, light cuts, things like that," Parker said. "This wasn't like that. These were well-directed wounds into vital areas. They knew what they were doing."

Lewis is charged with two counts of murder in the Monday stabbing deaths of Richard Lollar, 24, and Jacinth "Shorty" Baker, 21.

The Baltimore Ravens linebacker is being held without bail until at least Feb. 24, and faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.

Lollar was declared dead at the scene by police responding to a fight call in the Buckhead bar district several hours after the Super Bowl ended seven miles away at the Georgia Dome. Baker was transported to a local hospital, but declared dead upon arrival.

Parker said that Baker was wounded in his liver and heart, while Lollar's wounds were concentrated around his heart.

"A typical pocket knife could do this," Parker said. "Whoever did this knew exactly where to hit and do the damage ... you could say they knew something about anatomy."

Lewis' lawyer, Max Richardson Jr., has acknowledged that his client was at the scene but did not kill the men.

A spokesman for the Fulton County district attorney said Wednesday it doesn't matter if Lewis actually held the knife -- he can still be tried for murder if he helped the killer or was involved in the fight that preceded the slayings.

"When and if this case goes anywhere, there will be aggravated assault charges added," spokesman Erik Friedly said. "And someone died as result of the assault, so felony murder charges are automatic."

Atlanta police on Wednesday would not disclose further details of their investigation. Officers reportedly are seeking arrest warrants for at least two of Lewis' friends who were with him Monday.

According to witnesses, the two victims were involved in a fight with six men who fled in a limousine.

Police have released limousine driver Duane Fossett, according to a spokeswoman for All Stretched Out Limousine Service of Glen Burnie, Md.

Fossett returned to the Baltimore area Wednesday and was "exhausted" after being questioned and kept in Atlanta by investigators, said Lorena Cochran.

She said Fossett had been instructed not to speak to anyone about the case, and that the company's owner Anthony Toskov accompanied the limousine back to Maryland on Wednesday but would not be available for comment. No one answered at Toskov's home.

In The (Baltimore) Sun on Wednesday, Toskov said Fossett had told him that Lewis did not kill the two men.

Toskov also said Lewis had rented the limo and left Baltimore with some friends. The group stopped in Charlotte, N.C., to pick up a few more friends en route to Atlanta, where Lewis made several appearances leading to Sunday's Super Bowl.

Charlotte police said Wednesday that Atlanta police had not contacted them about any possible suspects.

 


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 Ray Lewis is brought into court.
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 Atlanta's DA says Lewis can be charged as a party to the crime.
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 Ravens tackle Jonathan Ogden says the evidence will exonerate Lewis.
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 Michael McCrary believes in Ray Lewis.
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 Rod Woodson is worried about his friend.
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