HONOLULU – Olympic silver medalist and former University of Hawaii volleyball standout Kim Willoughby was sentenced Monday to five years probation for assault.
Willoughby, 28, who played on Team USA that won the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, had pleaded no contest in May to the charge under a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Circuit Judge Karen Ahn also ordered Willoughby to take anger management classes and to pay $2,027 for medical bills run up by her victim, Sara Daniel. But defense attorney Richard Hoke said Willoughby didn't have the money and has been tending to her ailing father in Louisiana.
"Right now, she's out of a job," Hoke said. "She doesn't have any income at this point."
In May, the Italian Olympic Committee announced Willoughby had tested positive for a steroid, nandrolone, after her Italian club Perugia played Cesena on April 5. Willoughby said outside court that the finding will be proved wrong.
"I'm very confident. I know I've done nothing wrong," but the team has used the finding to stop paying her, Willoughby said.
Ahn said Willoughby must pay Daniel at least $50 per month.
Willoughby apologized to Daniel in court, saying she regretted what happened on Dec. 16, 2006.
"I'm really sorry for that night," she said.
Prosecutors say Daniel tried to separate a friend and Willoughby when the two fought inside a Honolulu nightclub, the Pipeline Cafe. When Daniel and the friend left the club, Willoughby followed them outside and punched Daniel several times in the face.
Daniel sustained a broken nasal bone and eye socket.
"I cannot put into words the pain I endured physically" because of the assault, which caused her to undergo "major reconstructive surgery" to her face, Daniel told Willoughby in court.
Willoughby apologized to her fans outside court.
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