Terrence Shannon Jr. rape case: Illinois star's accusations, arrest, hearing date, more to know
With decisive wins last week against Morehead State and Duquesne, 3 seed Illinois is back in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since its beloved 2004-05 team made the national championship game.
While Purdue and Zach Edey have received much of the attention in the Big Ten, the Fighting Illini have pieced together an excellent 2023-24 season, with a 28-8 record and a conference tournament championship to its name. Heading into its matchup Thursday night with Iowa State at TD Garden in Boston, Illinois stands as just one of two Big Ten teams remaining in the 2024 NCAA Tournament field.
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Perhaps no player or person has had a bigger, more undeniable impact on the Illini’s success this season than guard Terrence Shannon Jr. He is averaging 23.3 points per game, ranking him third among all Division I players nationally. Earlier this month, he was honored as a first-team all-Big Ten selection. On his team’s road to a Big Ten Tournament title, he scored 102 points in three games, one shy of a tournament record, and has kept up that impressive pace in the NCAA Tournament, with a combined 56 points in Illinois’ first- and second-round victories.
Shannon, however, has been the subject of headlines this season beyond his excellence on the basketball court.
In December, Shannon was charged with rape for an alleged incident that took place three months earlier. Weeks later, he was suspended indefinitely by Illinois, temporarily pausing a season in which he had established himself as one of the best players and most dynamic scorers in the country. By late January, he was back on the court, where he has remained since.
As the Illini look to make it back to the Final Four for the first time in nearly 20 years and attempt to win the program’s first-ever national championship, Shannon’s legal issues remain a part of the team’s larger story — the kind of subject broached by broadcasters during nationally televised games, including in the NCAA Tournament, and used as fodder by opposing fans, who chant statements directed at Shannon.
Shannon maintains his innocence while the case against him remains active.
Here’s what you need to know about the accusations against Shannon, the timeline of his legal battle and where things go from here:
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Terrence Shannon Jr. rape accusation
Shannon was charged with one count of rape or an alternative count of sexual battery on Dec. 5, 2023 after a woman alleged that he summoned her over, grabbed her buttocks, reached under her skirt and inappropriately touched her.
The incident took place at a bar in Lawrence, Kansas, where Shannon was visiting for Illinois’ Sept. 8 football game against Kansas. Illinois noted that Shannon was not in Lawrence “on official University business, nor was he a member of the University's travel party." The accuser identified Shannon from the Illini’s team roster online. Additionally, she consented to a sexual assault exam at a local hospital the day after the alleged incident and reported it to authorities.
While the woman was not named in the complaint, multiple law enforcement officers and an unnamed individual were listed as witnesses.
Terrence Shannon Jr. arrest
After a warrant was issued for Shannon’s arrest by the Douglas County (Kansas) district attorney's office, the 23-year-old Illinois star, a Chicago native who transferred to the university from Texas Tech in 2022, turned himself in and was arrested in Lawrence on Dec. 28 on a charge of "rape; sexual intercourse without consent and use of force."
Shannon posted a $50,000 bond. His Illinois-based attorney, Mark P. Sutter, said in a statement that Shannon had declared his innocence “from the beginning” and that he has “cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation.”
Terrence Shannon Jr. suspension
On the day of his arrest, Shannon was suspended indefinitely from all team activities by Illinois, which cited its zero-tolerance sexual misconduct policy.
At the time of the suspension, the Illini were 9-2 and ranked No. 9 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
On Jan. 2, Shannon wrote a nearly 1,400-word letter to the University of Illinois student-athlete conduct panel. In it, he maintained his innocence and offered a plea for his suspension to be overturned.
“While I appreciate my lawyers and their ability to fight the case in court, I know that the criminal justice system takes time,” Shannon wrote. “So my day in court will not come about for a long time, most likely long after the NBA draft, and I may not be cleared of the charges until it's too late. The harm that I will suffer from an immediate suspension can never be undone, and I will never have this opportunity to further my collegiate career or fulfill my lifelong dream to play in the NBA. Going forward, I want nothing more than to play basketball for the University of Illinois, and I remain hopeful that my due process rights will be honored and allow for a full reinstatement while this case is pending.”
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Terrence Shannon Jr. restraining order
On Jan. 8, Shannon’s attorneys filed a temporary restraining order against Illinois, seeking immediate reinstatement. In its argument, Shannon’s legal team stated its client was not granted due process by the university before being suspended.
Eleven days later, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Lawless found that Illinois had violated Shannon’s civil rights and reinstated him. Lawless ruled that Shannon was being deprived of “protected property interests,” including a chance to be a high NBA draft pick and earn endorsement deals permitted under the NCAA’s name, image and likeness rules.
Lawless added that the “public interest is not harmed” by implementing “procedural safeguards while he is presumed innocent of the criminal charges.” Shannon returned for the Illini and scored 16 points in an 86-63 win against Rutgers on Jan. 21, his first game back in 30 days.
Terrence Shannon Jr. preliminary hearing
Three days after Shannon’s return to the court, his preliminary hearing in the rape case, originally set for February, was moved back to May 10 after the court had a scheduling conflict.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Terrence Shannon Jr. rape case: What to know of accusations against Illinois player
