Kenan Gay: Accidental Shove or First-Degree Murder In Bar Fight?

Kenan Wells Gay, a former North Carolina receiver and Charlotte law student, is being charged with first-degree murder after a bar fight on Saturday night ended with a man allegedly being pushed in front of a moving car. On Monday, Gay's attorneys said that the law student was defending his girlfriend when he fatally pushed 26-year-old Robert Kingston III.

According to authorities, the two men were at Ed's Tavern in Charlotte when the fight got moved outside. While police previously did not know what started the brawl, Gay's defense attorney, Christopher Fialko, said that the reaction from his client stemmed from Kingston putting his hands on Gay's girlfriend.

A witness at Ed's Tavern said that Gay, 23, took Kingston by the collar and ran towards the street. The man in control of the victim didn't stop, said Alan Cole, owner of Ed's Tavern, to the Charlotte Observer. He ran right up to the edge of the street and tossed the other man into the traffic lane, with no pause or delay.

Fialko does not believe that his client should be charged with first-degree murder, stating that it is unfortunate that the dispute occurred close to the street. The fellow was putting his hands on my client's girlfriend, says Gay's attorney. My client was trying to get him off of her; they were standing at the door. He threw him out the door. Unfortunately, and in an unlucky way for everyone, it was right near the road.

Gay was taken into custody around 10:40 p.m. on Saturday night after he fled the scene of the crime. The car that had hit the victim pulled over, and will not be facing any charges. The law student is currently in jail, and will appear back in court on Mar. 14.

Robert Kingston III was supposed to get married this August.