NBA draft prospect Shannon not guilty of rape

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN

  • Personnel WriterJun 13, 2024, 05:53 PM ET Close Covers college basketball
  • Signed up with ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

A jury in Kansas discovered former Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. innocent of felony rape and worsened sexual attack Thursday following a weeklong trial.Shannon was arrested in December for an alleged event in September at a bar in Lawrence, Kansas, after a lady declared that he pulled her toward him and penetrated her vaginal area with his fingers quickly after they met.Shannon regularly rejected the claims, and witnesses for his defense throughout the trial stated they never saw Shannon approach a woman in the manner explained by authorities. Following the alleged incident, the female discovered Shannon’s picture in a lineup of the group online and after that went to police.Editor’s Picks 1 Associated”We more than happy with the result,”stated Mark Sutter, among Shannon’s lawyers.” Terrence Shannon Jr. lastly got his day in court. We denied the claims back in September and on that date, we vowed that a person day quickly, we would have our day in court and we did. And we’re happy with the result. And, at the end of the day, I believe the general public at-large owes Shannon Jr. an apology.”After his arrest, Shannon was suspended by Illinois, which released its own examination. He missed out on six

games before he maintained a temporary restraining order and went back to the court. He then led the team to the NCAA competition. The school subsequently dropped its examination, citing an absence of proof.”I am delighted for Terrence with the news these days’s verdict,”Illinois coach Brad Underwood stated. “Under six months of

intense analysis, Terrence has actually shown remarkable composure, maturity, and focus. He can now put this behind him and move forward with his life. I, in addition to everyone in our Illinois Basketball program, will continue to use Terrence our complete assistance as he wants to satisfy his NBA dreams.”Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman echoed that sentiment, saying the decision was “an incredible sigh of relief “for him and others near to Shannon.”

This has been a really serious and regrettable situation for all celebrations included, and I am happy for Terrence that it has actually been dealt with and his name has actually been cleared,”Whitman said.” We eagerly anticipate cheering for him as he begins his NBA journey.”Prior to his arrest, Shannon was a forecasted top-25 choice in the upcoming NBA draft. He will attend several exercises with pro teams starting Friday, according to his lawyer, as he

continues preparation for the draft.Last week, his lawyers submitted a motion to utilize video evidence to support the possibility of an incorrect identity case. But Shannon depend on character witnesses and others who were at the bar that night, consisting of Kansas players Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. He also testified in his own defense when he took the stand Thursday.In their closing declarations, his lawyers mentioned that Shannon’s DNA proof was not found on the female’s body after she was examined at a local health center that night, and they likewise criticized the examination that indicated him as the suspect in the event.”He’s an excellent kid and we had a great deal of truly great character witnesses in addition to the investigation and the obstacle of all the evidence, or absence thereof,”Sutter stated.” It was a great turnout for him.”ESPN’s Jeff Borzello added to this report.