Attackers of Celtics' Paul Pierce sentenced to prison time

Jet, Oct 28, 2002

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.

Prior to the sentencing, both men were acquitted 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 he completes the 21 to 25 years he now is serving for unrelated convictions. Trevor Watson, given the one-year sentence, also had 1.5 years suspended.

A third defendant, Anthony Hurston, was acquitted of all charges.

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.

Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said neither the team nor Pierce planned to comment on the sentences.

The All-Star forward was stabbed at a nightclub in Boston's theater district Sept. 25, 2000. The 25-year-old Pierce required lung surgery after he was stabbed in the neck, back and chest-one wound was 7 inches deep--and hit over the head with a bottle. Pierce had a speedy recovery; he joined the Celtics after training camp to play a full 2000-01 season where he averaged 25.3 points. Last season he recorded a 26.1 pt. average.