Jamal Lewis indicted on drug charges
ATLANTA, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Jamal Lewis, who last year had the second-best single-season rushing total in NFL history, was indicted Wednesday on drug conspiracy charges.
The Pro Bowl running back of the Baltimore Ravens is accused of conspiring to distribute cocaine in 2000 and will surrender to authorities in Atlanta, U.S. Attorney William S. Duffey announced.
The indictment charges Lewis with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. A second count charges Lewis with using a cell phone to carry out the conspiracy.
Lewis, 24, becomes the second star player of the Ravens to face serious charges in Atlanta. In 2000, Pro Bowl middle linebacker Ray Lewis (no relation) was charged with two other men in the murder of two men in a street fight.
Ray Lewis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of justice in exchange for the murder charges being dropped.
Henin-Hardenne, Williams advance at Dubai
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Justine Henin-Hardenne and Venus Williams advanced to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Women's open Wednesday with straight-set victories.
The top-seeded Henin-Hardenne of Belgium beat Tunisian Selima Sfar 6-1, 7-5. The second-seeded Williams, of the United States, won 6-3, 6-4 over Australian Alicia Molik.
Third-seeded American Jennifer Capriati was eliminated by Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).
In other matches, No. 4 Anastasia Myskina of Russia defeated Spain's Magui Serna, Ai Sugiyama of Japan topped Australian Nicole Pratt, Conchita Martinez of Spain ousted Maria Elena Camerin of Italy and American Meghann Shaugnnessy beat Petra Mandula of Hungary.
Blue Jackets' Cassels off injured list
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday activated center Andrew Cassels, who had been out six weeks with a foot injury.
Cassels was hurt in a Dec. 31 game against the San Jose Sharks and was out of the lineup for 22 games.
He has five goals and 11 assists for the season.
Sather steps down; Renney becomes coach
NEW YORK, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Glen Sather stepped aside Wednesday as coach of the slumping New York Rangers and named assistant Tom Renney interim head coach.
Sather, 60, who is also the team's president and general manager, said he wanted to focus his attention on managerial duties.
"We've got a couple of weeks left before the trading deadline and it'll give me an opportunity to concentrate on the other duties in this job," Sather said.
The Rangers appear to be headed for their seventh straight non-playoff season despite having the highest payroll in the National Hockey League. They have lost 13 of their last 19 games and are 14 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Renney, who coached the Vancouver Canucks in 1996-97, is the 32nd coach of the Rangers.
Sather, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, was coach of the Edmonton Oilers on four of their five Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s.
