Athlete Gets 4 Years in Killing of Man at Party

A former high school sports standout was sentenced to four years in state prison Monday after pleading guilty to kicking another teen to death at a party in Palmdale in 2000.

Marcus Anthony Raines, 18, and another Littlerock High School athlete beat and kicked Christopher O’Leary, 19, after they knocked him to the ground during a fight. Raines, an all-star linebacker and hurdler, had won two medals in a high school track competition hours before the May 19 beating. O’Leary died three days later.

Raines’ teammate Richard Lee Newton, 18, earlier pleaded no contest to assault and was sentenced to four years in state prison. Rodney Woods, 19, a son of the school’s track coach, pleaded no contest to assault of a second man who was beaten at the party.

Woods was ordered to serve a year in county jail and five years’ probation.

Prosecutors said Newton punched O’Leary in the face, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Once O’Leary was down, Raines kicked him in the head.