Shannon cleared to rejoin Illini after TRO granted

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff WriterJan 19, 2024, 06:03 PM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

A federal judge granted Illinois standout Terrence Shannon Jr.’s ask for a short-lived restraining order Friday, a choice that permitted him to rejoin the group and play again weeks after he was suspended indefinitely following his December arrest on a felony rape charge for an alleged event in Lawrence, Kansas.The judgment came a

day after Shannon waived his right to an initial hearing in Douglas County (Kansas). A judge set a Feb. 23 date for his initial hearing in the criminal case.University of Illinois associate chancellor Robin Kaler issued a declaration after Friday’s ruling saying Shannon”has actually been restored to complete status as a University student-athlete and will be eligible for basketball practice and competition.”It also said that it” will continue to evaluate the Court Order and keep an eye on the case. “Shannon’s lawyers had actually requested the injunction earlier this month, declaring the school had actually made a” rush to judgment”and utilized an “unjust “procedure when it decided to suspend Shannon indefinitely late last month after a warrant was released for his arrest after the alleged event in September. A woman at a bar declared Shannon had actually wrongly touched her and sexually attacked her.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Illinois officials responded and stated they had”jurisdiction”over trainees

connected to severe criminal charges. The school likewise said allowing Shannon to play would diminish its capability to address future conduct with students on its campus.Judge Colleen Lawless, a federal judge in the United States District Court of the Central District of Illinois, ruled Friday versus any financial damages however specified the suspension will cause”harm”to Shannon. “The Plaintiff has actually established that he has clearly ascertainable rights that require defense and there is some probability of success on the merits,”Lawless wrote in her ruling.”The Court even more discovers that Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law and will suffer irreparable harm without an injunction. The prospective damage to Plaintiff outweighs any harm to the University. The public interest is not hurt by giving injunctive relief to permit additional procedural safeguards while he is presumed innocent of the criminal charges. … For That Reason, Plaintiff Terrence Shannon, Jr.’s Verified Movement for a Preliminary Injunction is granted. It is thus purchased that: Defendant, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, and all of its officers(consisting of, however not limited to, Offender Timothy Killeen), administration, staff members, units, departments, affiliates, and other agents, are thus told from continuing to suspend Plaintiff from the basketball group pursuant to the [Department of Intercollegiate Sports] Policy.”Offenders are told from suspending Plaintiff from the basketball team without a minimum of managing him the protections of the [Office of Student Conflict Resolution] Policy. The commitments of Accuseds pursuant to this Order are to be interpreted as broadly as possible. This Order shall stay in impact until modified or terminated by a subsequent order. “Through his attorney, Shannon stated he mores than happy to go back to the court.”[ Shannon] is grateful for today’s judgment and anticipating betting the Illini again,”the statement stated.”[ Shannon] is likewise glad to his legal team, lead counsel Rob Lang, Steve Beckett, Mark Goldenberg, Zoe Spector, Tom Horscroft, and Mark Sutter.”In late December, Shannon was apprehended and charged with”rape; sexual intercourse without authorization and use of force.” In September, Shannon had traveled to Kansas for a football game. A lady informed authorities Shannon inappropriately touched her before he sexually assaulted her at the bar. Shannon was suspended once a warrant for his arrest was revealed in December. Athletic director Josh Whitman said that month that the school discovered of the Lawrence, Kansas, police examination involving Shannon in late September. However the warrant provided for his arrest on Dec. 27, per school authorities’ claims, was the first “actionable” info they ‘d received.According to files acquired by ESPN today, a University of Illinois authorities investigator received details of the sexual attack examination as early as Sept. 27, three months before school officials state they had sufficient information to suspend him.Shannon is averaging 21.7 points per game for Illinois, which will face Rutgers in the house on Sunday.Information from ESPN’s Shwetha Surendran was utilized in this report.