Lewis says he's innocent of murder charges

Friday, February 18th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- It took Ray Lewis only 1 minute and 40 seconds to tell the world he's innocent. Speaking softly to a roomful of reporters, the Baltimore Ravens star linebacker made his first statement since being charged with the stabbing deaths of two men outside an Atlanta nightclub after the Super Bowl. "You've heard many times before from my attorneys and a from a lot of other people, but now you get to hear it from me: I am innocent," Lewis said Thursday. "I'm looking forward to the day all the facts come out, everything is out front and my name is cleared."

Lewis also had a message for those who were close to Richard Lollar, 24, and Jacinth Baker, 21 -- the two men killed in the Jan.31 stabbings. "I am sorry about the tragedy that occurred in Atlanta. I mean, my sympathy goes out to the families, the friends of both of themen that died. I know their hearts are broken," he said.

As he spoke, Lewis was surrounded by team management, including owner Art Modell and head coach Brian Billick. Lewis thanked God, his family, teammates and fans -- "everybody who was there with me. I feel so sorry for them because it has been very hard for them."

Under a gag order in a murder case, Lewis couldn't say much more. And right after he said it, he left the Ravens complex, got into a car and went home for the first time since he headed for Atlanta in a rented limousine to watch the Super Bowl.

Lewis was released Tuesday on $1 million bail from an Atlant jail where he had been since he was charged. He flew home Thursday and came directly to the Ravens' training facility.

Lewis, 24, and two companions, Joseph Sweeting, 34, of Miami, and Reginald Oakley, 31, of Baltimore, were indicted Feb. 11 on murder charges. Lewis' lawyers say he tried to stop the fight and that he was at least 60 feet away when Lollar and Baker were stabbed. Police say Lewis drove away in a limousine and later lied when they tried to determine who was in his entourage.

Not even waiting for Billick to speak, Lewis immediately left the building and went to his home a few miles away. Billick said Lewis' status with the team is unchanged. "Ray Lewis is a member of this organization. He's a member of this football team and will be afforded all the rights we give members of this football team," Billick said.

Billick also stressed that any moves the team makes to sign or draft a linebacker should not be interpreted as being related to Lewis' legal problems. To conclude that "would not only be wrong, but it would be inappropriate," Billick said.

Ravens officials said neither Lewis nor any member of the team would talk about the case again. Lewis' bond requires him to stay in Maryland unless he is traveling to Georgia for court appearances or to meet with his lawyers. It doesn't permit him to visit Florida, where his fiancee and two of his children live.

Superior Court Judge Doris Downs ruled Monday that Lewis may not use alcohol or drugs while he is out on bond, and that he must be home every night by 9 p.m. Maryland's corrections department will monitor Lewis' compliance.

LaMont W. Flanagan, commissioner of pretrial detention and services for Maryland, said his department has agreed to conduct weekly tests for drugs and alcohol and to have a caseworker meet with Lewis weekly at the pretrial services office in Baltimore. Flanagan said pretrial services officials would meet with Lewis on Friday to go over the stipulations of his supervision. Lewis will not be required to wear a monitoring ankle bracelet "at this time," Flanagan said.