Jones not found guilty of rape....
- Thread starter K'YonFSU
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He wasn't found not guilty, the grand jury decided not to indict; similar but different. But yes, he said it was consensual, they said it wasn't (there were two women and two defendants, neither were indicted).
I will copy and paste an article instead of linking:
Former University of Louisville basketball star Chris Jones was "reduced to tears" when he found out Wednesday he had been exonerated on rape and sodomy charges, one of his lawyers said.
Ending a case that had shocked the sports world and the Louisville community, Jefferson Circuit Judge James Shake read a report from the grand jury that it had decided not to indict Jones or either of his co-defendants, Jalen Tilford and Tyvon Walker.
A lawyer for the two women who accused them continued to assert that they had been "heinously assaulted," and she repeated her claims that Jones had gotten special treatment because he was a renowned athlete.
But Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Ryane Conroy, who presented evidence for 21/2 days to the grand jury, said Jones' status was irrelevant.
She said she made no recommendation to the grand jurors, whom she said "knew more about the case than anyone in the world."
"We believe in the process and we respect their decision," Conroy said. "They represent the community."
The three men were charged with raping and sodomizing the two women, ages 19 and 20, on Feb. 22, just hours after Jones had led U of L to a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Miami. The charges were punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Scott C. Cox, one of Jones' lawyers, said the defendants would never have been charged "if Chris Jones was named John Smith" and that authorities pressed forward because of his prominence.
In a statement, U of L said its police department fulfilled its obligation under federal law to investigate allegations of sexual assault. "The police handled this case as they would any other report of sexual assault involving a student," the statement said. "Evidence was gathered, presented to the court and, later, a grand jury to determine if a criminal case should go forward. We respect the legal process."
Attorney Dina Bartlett, who represents the two accusers, told reporters that she had "never seen stronger evidence in a rape case," but she declined to discuss any of it, saying she needed to protect their privacy and attorney-client privilege.
Tilford's lawyer, however, Scott Drabenstadt, said the charges against the three defendants were "ridiculous from the get-go."
He said video from Cardinal Towne apartments showed both women "frolicking in a stairway" after they allegedly were raped the first time, with one swinging from the rails and another skipping.
"These were not victims who were raped," he said.
He also said that the video showed them returning to the apartment after they allegedly were assaulted and staying there for another 30 minutes, which he said would have made no sense if they had been raped. Drabenstadt said as many as six or seven witnesses in the apartment supported the defendants.
Tilford took the rare step of testifying Wednesday before the grand jury, which required him to appear without counsel. But Drabenstadt said he wasn't worried "because everything he said to me proved to be 100 percent true."
Drabenstadt provided reporters a copy of a statement Tilford gave to University of Louisville police on April 2 in which he said that sex between Jones and the women "appeared 100 percent consensual to me."
Tilford said he saw blood on Jones' shirt, and that one of the women was "angry and cussing" him in a hallway. "Sometimes Chris can be big headed and rude to women," he told police. "I do not believe, however, that he did anything forceful or against any girls' will sexually." Cox declined to comment on the evidence.
By law grand jury evidence is secret, although Conroy said she would petition Shake to make it public, with the consent of the accusers. Bartlett said she would advise them not to consent.
Drabenstadt told reporters that none of the defendants "are shining examples of how to treat women, and they all need to grow up."
"There was sexual promiscuity," he said. "But that did not make them criminals. These three fellows ran into the wrong women."
Lawyers for the defendants said they have suffered tremendously since the accusations.
Drabenstadt said Tilford's name has "been forever smeared."
Cox said Jones also has been hurt. He was kicked off the team for breaking curfew, but then forced to vacate his campus apartment and banned from campus when he was charged.
"He has gone from being ranked the 35th prospect in the NBA draft to playing pickup basketball in the park," said Cox, who represented him with Ryan McCall and Rob Eggert.
But Cox said Jones was never worried about the outcome. "He told Ryan from the very beginning that he had done nothing wrong."
Cox said he and Jones' other lawyers feel badly for the two women, whom he declined to criticize, as well as for Jones, Walker and Tilford.
"There are no winners here," he said.
He said Jones is now focused on getting in shape so he can pursue a professional basketball career. He will probably go live with his mother, in Memphis, and train in Florida, though he hopes to eventually settle in Louisville, which Cox says he still loves.
He also hopes to finish his degree at U of L.
"I don't see any reason he wouldn't be welcome back on campus," Cox said.
Former University of Louisville basketball star Chris Jones was "reduced to tears" when he found out Wednesday he had been exonerated on rape and sodomy charges, one of his lawyers said.
Ending a case that had shocked the sports world and the Louisville community, Jefferson Circuit Judge James Shake read a report from the grand jury that it had decided not to indict Jones or either of his co-defendants, Jalen Tilford and Tyvon Walker.
A lawyer for the two women who accused them continued to assert that they had been "heinously assaulted," and she repeated her claims that Jones had gotten special treatment because he was a renowned athlete.
But Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Ryane Conroy, who presented evidence for 21/2 days to the grand jury, said Jones' status was irrelevant.
She said she made no recommendation to the grand jurors, whom she said "knew more about the case than anyone in the world."
"We believe in the process and we respect their decision," Conroy said. "They represent the community."
The three men were charged with raping and sodomizing the two women, ages 19 and 20, on Feb. 22, just hours after Jones had led U of L to a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Miami. The charges were punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Scott C. Cox, one of Jones' lawyers, said the defendants would never have been charged "if Chris Jones was named John Smith" and that authorities pressed forward because of his prominence.
In a statement, U of L said its police department fulfilled its obligation under federal law to investigate allegations of sexual assault. "The police handled this case as they would any other report of sexual assault involving a student," the statement said. "Evidence was gathered, presented to the court and, later, a grand jury to determine if a criminal case should go forward. We respect the legal process."
Attorney Dina Bartlett, who represents the two accusers, told reporters that she had "never seen stronger evidence in a rape case," but she declined to discuss any of it, saying she needed to protect their privacy and attorney-client privilege.
Tilford's lawyer, however, Scott Drabenstadt, said the charges against the three defendants were "ridiculous from the get-go."
He said video from Cardinal Towne apartments showed both women "frolicking in a stairway" after they allegedly were raped the first time, with one swinging from the rails and another skipping.
"These were not victims who were raped," he said.
He also said that the video showed them returning to the apartment after they allegedly were assaulted and staying there for another 30 minutes, which he said would have made no sense if they had been raped. Drabenstadt said as many as six or seven witnesses in the apartment supported the defendants.
Tilford took the rare step of testifying Wednesday before the grand jury, which required him to appear without counsel. But Drabenstadt said he wasn't worried "because everything he said to me proved to be 100 percent true."
Drabenstadt provided reporters a copy of a statement Tilford gave to University of Louisville police on April 2 in which he said that sex between Jones and the women "appeared 100 percent consensual to me."
Tilford said he saw blood on Jones' shirt, and that one of the women was "angry and cussing" him in a hallway. "Sometimes Chris can be big headed and rude to women," he told police. "I do not believe, however, that he did anything forceful or against any girls' will sexually." Cox declined to comment on the evidence.
By law grand jury evidence is secret, although Conroy said she would petition Shake to make it public, with the consent of the accusers. Bartlett said she would advise them not to consent.
Drabenstadt told reporters that none of the defendants "are shining examples of how to treat women, and they all need to grow up."
"There was sexual promiscuity," he said. "But that did not make them criminals. These three fellows ran into the wrong women."
Lawyers for the defendants said they have suffered tremendously since the accusations.
Drabenstadt said Tilford's name has "been forever smeared."
Cox said Jones also has been hurt. He was kicked off the team for breaking curfew, but then forced to vacate his campus apartment and banned from campus when he was charged.
"He has gone from being ranked the 35th prospect in the NBA draft to playing pickup basketball in the park," said Cox, who represented him with Ryan McCall and Rob Eggert.
But Cox said Jones was never worried about the outcome. "He told Ryan from the very beginning that he had done nothing wrong."
Cox said he and Jones' other lawyers feel badly for the two women, whom he declined to criticize, as well as for Jones, Walker and Tilford.
"There are no winners here," he said.
He said Jones is now focused on getting in shape so he can pursue a professional basketball career. He will probably go live with his mother, in Memphis, and train in Florida, though he hopes to eventually settle in Louisville, which Cox says he still loves.
He also hopes to finish his degree at U of L.
"I don't see any reason he wouldn't be welcome back on campus," Cox said.
Drabenstadt told reporters that none of the defendants "are shining examples of how to treat women, and they all need to grow up."
"There was sexual promiscuity," he said. "But that did not make them criminals. These three fellows ran into the wrong women."
******
"There are no winners here," [Cox] said.
Truer words have never been spoken. This could be a write up of Winston's case.
"There was sexual promiscuity," he said. "But that did not make them criminals. These three fellows ran into the wrong women."
******
"There are no winners here," [Cox] said.
Truer words have never been spoken. This could be a write up of Winston's case.
Chris Jones came out of High School as one of the top point guards in the country.. didn't have the grades so went to North West Fla College in Niceville.. there he took them to two national championship games I believe and was Jr College player of the year. I saw him play many times against TCC, Chipola and Gulf Coast.. he was very very good... but.. wildly out of control. Started fights, pulled a gun on an assistant coach etc. Everyone thought once he went to Louisville he would calm down... and he did for the most part. He started both years at louisville, and stayed out of trouble until this past season where you got in trouble a few times and when all of this came up, they kicked him off the team before the NCAA tourny.
This is why i don't understand why these coaches just kick these guys off the team immediately. What's wrong with an indefinite suspension? Then he could be reinstated to the team for his final season. Now this kids got nowhere to go play ball because of this b.s. There are so many similarities between this and Winston's case i'm glad Winston's career was never ruined by it even though his reputation has been so severely damaged.
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