Former NBA player Rashid Byrd Sentenced to 90 Years to Life in Prison Over Sexual Assaults
Los Angeles, March 3 (IANS) Actor and former NBA player Rashid Byrd has been sentenced to 90-years to life in prison over a series of violent sexual assaults. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said an investigation into Byrd started in 2019 after a victim claimed that she had been sexually assaulted by him.
During their investigation, detectives learned that in 2010, Byrd was convicted of sexual assault involving a different victim. Detectives also discovered that Byrd had been arrested for sexually assaulting a young woman in Washington State in 2005. Byrd charmed his victims at first, then turned violent, as stated by the lead investigator on the case.
Byrd, who appeared in the 2008 Will Ferrell-starring basketball comedy, ‘Semi Pro’, was taken into custody in 2020 by LAPD detectives for sexual assault. The 39-year-old was sentenced to 90 years to life in state prison for the violent sexual assaults that occurred in L.A. and Santa Clara counties.
“He started as a charmer, playing up his status as an athlete and pseudo-celebrity, but that quickly faded into rapes and violence,” said the lead investigator on the case about Byrd’s actions. Byrd also appeared in a documentary short, Bring Your ‘A’ Game, and played 22 games for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League in the 2008-2009 season.
The disturbing case sheds light on the importance of thorough investigations and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Byrd’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the severe consequences individuals face for committing such heinous crimes.
