Former Steelers running back Eric Wilkerson was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence, Fox 8 News in Cleveland reports.
Initially charged with aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, and tempering with records in the stabbing death of 46-year-old Brian Weems, Wilkerson plead guilty last week to the lower charges. On Tuesday, a Cuyahoga County judge sentenced Wilkerson, 56, to 12 to 17 years in prison for the fatal stabbing. He will not be released until he is at least 68 years old. Wilkerson will be hit with probation once he is released from prison.
Police alleged that Weems and Wilkerson got into an argument at a Cleveland apartment. Following the argument, they allege Wilkerson followed Weems into the bathroom and stabbed Weems multiple times before fleeing the scene of the crime.
Eric Wilkerson is Cleveland native. He joined the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of Kent State 1989 as a running back and later converted to wide receiver. He played in one regular season and two postseason games with the Steelers that season, but did not record any statistics.
After his lone seasons in Pittsburg, Wilkerson spent time with the Detroit Lions, New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football and the Cleveland Thunderbolts of the Arena Football League. Wilkerson’s uniform number 40 was retired by the team in 1989 and he was inducted into the Kent State Hall of Fame in 1995.