A man charged with stalking and harassing basketball star Caitlin Clark was rebuked after becoming disruptive during a court appearance on Tuesday.
Michael Lewis, of Denton, Texas, was arrested on Monday at a hotel in Indianapolis, where Clark plays for the Indiana Fever, after allegedly sending threatening messages to the WNBA star, some of which were sexual in nature.
The 55-year-old Lewis sat back in his chair when he entered Marion County Superior Court and said “guilty as charged”. He went on to interrupt the proceedings on several occasions, saying “I guess you got the wrong guy”. He also said “I need my medicines” when the court asked him if he had any mental health issues.
“You have a right to remain silent, and I expect you to exercise that on me,” Judge Angela Davis said. Lewis continued to interrupt the judge, who told him to “stop talking.” Lewis did not hire an attorney, so Davis assigned him a public defender who entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Lewis is being held on $50,000 bail, which he said he would not post. “I don’t want bond, bail, whatever,” he said. “I’m here. I’m staying.” He was ordered to refrain from contacting Clark and to stay away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where Fever play their home games and Hinkle Fieldhouse, the home of Butler’s college basketball team, where Clark’s boyfriend is an assistant coach.
Prosecutors wrote that Lewis “caused Caitlin Clark to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened” and that the 22-year-old WNBA player was also “in reasonable fear of sexual battery.”
Indianapolis police first spoke to Lewis last week, when he is alleged to have sent threatening messages to Clark on X. According to court documents, one message read: “Been driving around your house 3x a day. But don’t call the law just yet.” Other messages contained elements of sexual violence, according to the documents.
Clark told Indianapolis police the messages had left her fearing for her safety and had made her change her appearances in public. Police traced Lewis to an Indianapolis hotel where he was staying after traveling from his home in Texas. He told them he understood he did not have a relationship with Clark. “It’s an imagination, fantasy type thing and it’s a joke, and it’s nothing to do with threatening,” Lewis said, according to court documents.
Police said Lewis continued to message Clark after they had warned him about his conduct.
“It takes a lot of courage for women to come forward in these cases, which is why many don’t,” Marion county prosecutor Ryan Mears said. “In doing so, the victim is setting an example for all women who deserve to live and work in Indy without the threat of sexual violence.”
Clark was the No 1 overall pick in last year’s WNBA draft after a stellar college career with Iowa. Her elite skills, and rivalry with Angel Reese, have made her one of the most prominent sports stars in the US. In her first season as a professional she was named rookie of the year, broke the league record in assists and signed a reported $28m sponsorship deal with Nike.
