NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man accused of fatally stabbing two people at a bar and wounding another acted in self-defense, his lawyer says.
Defense attorney Justin Johnson told The Tennessean that a review of the limited available evidence in the case shows 23-year-old Michael Mosley was defending himself. Mosley is charged with two counts of criminal homicide and one count of attempted criminal homicide in the Dec. 21 deaths of Clayton Beathard, 22, and Paul Trapeni III, 21, and wounding of a third man identified as a 21-year-old University of Tennessee student.
All three were graduates of Battle Ground Academy, an independent college preparatory school in Franklin. Beathard was the brother of NFL quarterback C.J. Beathard. He was majoring in sports management at Long Island University, according to the newspaper. He was also the brother of musician Tucker Beathard, son of country music songwriter Casey Beathard and grandson of NFL Hall of Famer Bobby Beathard, who won four Super Bowls as a general manager, The Tennessean reported. Trapeni was a student at Rhodes College in Memphis, where he was a member of the class of 2020, according to his obituary.
Nashville police have said Mosley made an “unwanted advancement” toward a female friend of the victims, and an argument between the groups turned physical. Days later, Mosley was found alone in a vacant house outside of Nashville and arrested, according to tweets from Nashville police.
Johnson said Mosley is “truly remorseful and regretful and sorry that this happened to every family that’s involved here, but he wants everyone to wait to see the evidence as it comes out.”
Johnson says more evidence is expected to be shared at a preliminary hearing on Jan. 7.
The Davidson County District Attorney’s Office cannot comment on the case, said Steve Hayslip, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office.
