Pretrial hearing set in football player's slaying

Published Jul. 1, 2014 9:33 a.m. ET

foxsports

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) A final pretrial hearing is scheduled for two Detroit men charged in the robbery and fatal shooting of Eastern Michigan University football player Demarius Reed.

The 20-year-old wide receiver from Chicago was killed Oct. 18 at his off-campus apartment building in Ypsilanti. Police say Reed's wallet and cellphone were taken.

Kristopher Pratt and Ed Thomas are to appear Tuesday in Washtenaw County Trial Court for a final hearing before they stand trial later this month.

Both men face open murder and armed robbery charges. An open murder charge means the jury can choose to convict them of either first- or second-degree murder.

Lawyers for Pratt and Thomas have said there isn't enough evidence that that their clients committed the crimes.