
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 12, 1994                   TAG: 9403120194
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ADRIENNE PETTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WRESTLER GUILTY IN SEX CASE

One of two former championship wrestlers from Franklin County High School charged with raping a 14-year-old girl during last year's state wrestling tournament in Richmond has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

Derrick Poindexter, 18, admitted to a misdemeanor charge of sexual battery in exchange for a 12-month suspended sentence and three years' probation.

Poindexter's offer to plead to a reduced charge was accepted because prosecutors felt they didn't have enough physical evidence against him to try the case, said Bill Coleman, assistant commonwealth's attorney in Richmond.

The other defendant, Thomas Simmons, is scheduled to stand trial March 21.

"I'm not sure if [the case] will proceed or not," Coleman said.

The girl, also from Franklin County, said the two wrestlers attacked her at the Richmond motel where the team stayed during the tournament in February 1993.

Simmons was the Roanoke Valley District and Northwest Region champion last year at 145 pounds. Poindexter was the Roanoke Valley District's top 160-pound wrestler.

by CNB