A Texas man accused of stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark insists he wants to stay in jail and shouted his guilt during a court appearance.
Indianapolis: So, there’s this guy, Michael Thomas Lewis, who’s been accused of stalking Caitlin Clark, the WNBA superstar. He showed up in court and, without missing a beat, yelled that he’s “guilty as charged.” Can you believe that?
He was in court for the first time since his arrest and made quite the scene. The judge had to enter a not guilty plea for him because he just wouldn’t stop talking. He even shouted things like “Throw me the booky!” and complained about his name not having a “Jr.” in the records.
Every time he interrupted, the deputies had to remind him to behave. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit and black sandals, looking pretty out of place. The judge read the charges against him, saying he had “terrorized” Caitlin and made her fear for her safety.
When asked about his mental health, he mentioned needing his medications. He also said he lives in his car and has just $100 to his name. He’s got a 2016 Toyota Avalon worth about $10,000, but that’s about it.
Lewis agreed to stay away from the Indiana Fever’s home arena and not contact Caitlin. The judge warned him that if he breaks those rules, he could lose his bond. Speaking of which, he was given a $50,000 bond but said he doesn’t want to post bail. He’s fine staying in jail.
The court appointed a defense attorney for him, but the lawyer didn’t have much to say after the hearing. Lewis is facing a stalking charge for sending a bunch of vulgar messages to Caitlin over a few weeks. They tracked him down through his IP address, which led them to a hotel and a library in Indianapolis.
