Despite the University of Illinois dropping its investigation, former star guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has been ordered to stand trial on a rape charge in Kansas.
Despite the University of Illinois dropping its investigation, former star guard Terrence Shannon Jr. has been ordered to stand trial on a rape charge in Kansas.
Shannon was suspended from the basketball team in December when he was initially charged, stemming from an alleged incident in September. He was reinstated in January after missing six games after a federal judge granted his motion for a temporary restraining order against the school.
However, a Kansas judge ruled on Friday that there was probable cause for a trial. Shannon's attorney, Mark Sutter, said in a statement that the defense team was not shocked or disappointed by the ruling, emphasizing that a preliminary hearing merely establishes the threshold of evidence for a jury.
Prosecutors in Douglas County charged Shannon on Dec. 5 with rape or an alternative count of sexual battery. The complaint alleges that the accuser was born in 2005.
According to an affidavit, the alleged victim told police that Shannon pulled her toward him, placed his hands under her skirt, and touched her sexually. She stated that the bar was so crowded that she felt unable to resist.
Shannon testified on Friday that he never touched the woman. He is a fifth-year student who led the Illini in scoring (23.0 points per game) this past season and played a vital role in their Elite Eight run in the NCAA Tournament.
Shannon transferred to Illinois from Texas Tech in 2021. He was projected as a first-round NBA Draft pick before the legal case. The trial is scheduled to commence on June 10, approximately two weeks before the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
* Shannon pleaded not guilty to the charge.
* The alleged victim was a minor at the time of the incident.
* The University of Illinois initially investigated the allegations but later dropped its investigation.
* Shannon's attorney expressed confidence in the defense's ability to establish Shannon's innocence at trial.
* The trial is expected to be a high-profile case, given Shannon's status as a former star basketball player.
