Former NFL star Meggett sentenced to 30 years for rape

Former NFL runningback David Meggett, who played for the Giants, the New England Patriots and the Jets, was sentenced to three decades in prison yesterday in South Carolina for a January 2009 rape.

Meggett was active in the NFL from 1989 through 1998, when he retired. In court, his public defender argued that the sex was consensual, but Meggett did not testify on his own behalf about the incident. According to local news sources, the victim did speak in court about the incident:

The victim, whose teary testimony lasted more than one hour Monday, appeared more serene Wednesday after the verdict. Assistant 9th Circuit Solicitor Culver Kidd hugged her afterward and told her she was very brave.

Meggett is also facing charges for an incident in September 2008 in which he allegedly forced a teenage girl to have sex with him “after inviting her to breakfast.” Prosecutors have said that they’re not sure they intend to follow through with that case, as it is “weaker” than the case that just concluded.

Meggett was sentenced by Circuit Judge Kristi Harrington to 30 years in prison, and will not be eligible for parole for at least 25.