Roethlisberger Hires Lewis' Attorney

Published March 8, 2010 at 3:46 p.m.

(WSB Radio) -- The high powered Atlanta attorney who defended Ray Lewis on a murder charge, has been hired to represent Ben Roethlisberger.

Ed Garland has told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he has talked to the Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback about the allegations that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted a Georgia College and State University student.

Garland confirmed has has already interviewed some witnesses, but said he would have no further comment.

Roethlisberger is being investigated in the alleged sexual assault of a college student at a nightclub in Milledgeville.

Milledgeville police say the NFL superstar and his 20-year-old accuser visited several bars late Thursday night before the alleged attack.

The unidentified woman claims she was "sexually assaulted or sexually manipulated" by a man, police said. The woman, treated and released from Oconee Regional Medical Center, described her attacker as 6-foot-5, and 241 pounds, though she did not name Roethlisberger, who just turned 28, as the perpetrator.

Roethlisberger is just the latest high-profile NFL player Garland has represented in criminal cases.

In 2000, Garland represented Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who was charged with murder in a Buckhead street fight after a night of post-Super Bowl celebrating. In mid-trial, on June 5, 2000, Fulton County prosecutors dropped the murder charges against Lewis, allowing him to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

Four years later, Garland represented another Baltimore Raven, Atlanta native Jamal Lewis, who was facing federal drug charges. Jamal Lewis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of using a cellphone to facilitate a drug transaction and was sentenced to a minimum-security prison for four months after the 2004 NFL season was over.

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