BYU players charged with aggravated sexual assault

[DJRamFan]

Dec. 3, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

SALT LAKE CITY -- Four Brigham Young University football players were indicted Friday on charges of raping a 17-year-old girl at a party last summer.

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Two other players were suspended from the team -- one for lying to police and the other for dealing harmful material to a minor.

The girl told police she and a cousin met the football players at a Provo mall and then rejoined them at an off-campus apartment, where they had drinks and watched a pornographic movie. She told police she passed out on a bed and awoke as the alleged assaults began.

Utah County prosecutors identified the four charged with aggravated sexual assault as William Terrell Smitty Turner Jr., Karland Brushay Bennett, Ibrahim Amir Rashada and Bryson Anthony Jerrell "B.J." Mathis.

They already had been expelled from the school, owned and run by the Mormon church, for violating its honor code.

Antwaun Harris was charged with providing false statements to police, and Billy Skinner was charged with dealing harmful material to a minor. Both were suspended from the team until the charges against them are resolved.

Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson said the four players were indicted by a grand jury to spare the girl from having to testify at a preliminary hearing, where a judge tests charges filed by prosecutors. Indictments would go straight to a trial judge.

It was unclear whether any of the six had lawyers.

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