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NBA draft prospect Terrence Shannon Jr. found not guilty of rape
Former Illinois standout Terrence Shannon Jr., a possible first-round NBA draft prospect, was found not guilty on a rape charge Thursday after a jury in Douglas County, Kansas, spent lower than two hours reaching a verdict.
Shannon, 23, was accused of committing sexual assault last September while visiting Kansas for a football game between the Illini and Jayhawks. He was charged with rape or an alternate count of sexual battery, which led to a six-game suspension; a federal judge later reinstated him, finding his civil rights had been violated.
Shannon testified that on September 8, 2023, he joined two roommates and several other Kansas players at a bar, but only had just a few drinks and remembered every thing that happened that night. Shannon said he didn’t learn concerning the rape accusation until weeks later and that he never saw the 18-year-old woman accusing him until the case began.
The woman told police she was on the bar when a person she later identified as Shannon grabbed her buttocks and reached under her skirt to the touch her. The woman claimed the bar was crowded and she or he couldn’t move.
Shannon testified that a lady near him had been raped and he would never treat one other woman the identical way.
Shannon’s lawyers called the allegations a “blind prosecution” and questioned the lady’s motives. They also criticized Douglas County prosecutors for his or her lack of evidence and Detective Lawrence for the thoroughness of the investigation.
Many scouts were closely monitoring the matter ahead of the NBA draft, scheduled for June 26-27.
The 6-foot-7 Shannon, who can play as some extent guard and shooting guard, played five seasons at Illinois. He was at his best last season, averaging 23 points for a team that reached the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion UConn.
Shannon was named first-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-American by The Associated Press.