A College of Illinois police detective acquired particulars of the sexual assault investigation into Illini males’s basketball participant Terrence Shannon Jr. from Lawrence, Kansas, police as early as Sept. 27, three months earlier than college officers say that they had “actionable data” to droop him, in line with e mail exchanges obtained by ESPN.
College of Illinois detective sergeant Grant Briggs exchanged emails with Lawrence detective Josh Leitner in September about acquiring a search warrant and scheduling an interview with Shannon, in line with paperwork ESPN obtained by means of open data legal guidelines. In a case report dated Sept. 27, Briggs wrote that he had spoken to Leitner that day “relating to a rape and sexual battery incident that occurred in Lawrence, Kansas.”
“Leitner offered police report narratives pertaining to the investigation,” Briggs wrote within the report. “He additionally offered a hyperlink to the interview of the sufferer. I reviewed the report narratives, the interview video, and the abstract of info offered by Det. Leitner. I made up my mind the info supported his request for a grievance and affidavit for search warrant.”
Shannon was arrested Dec. 28 and charged with rape, sexual activity with out consent and use of drive. In accordance with a police affidavit, a lady advised police that Shannon digitally penetrated her at a bar in Lawrence with out her consent on Sept. 9. A lawyer for Shannon has stated he’s harmless and intends to take the case to trial.
Illinois’ common season started on Nov. 6, and Shannon performed within the staff’s first 11 video games. Shannon has been contesting his suspension, and on Friday, a federal choose granted his request for a brief restraining order towards the varsity and he was reinstated to the staff.
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On Sept. 27, Leitner wrote to Briggs and College of Illinois police detective Michelle Kaeding in an e mail: “Thanks very a lot in your help in getting a search warrant. Connected are my narrative reviews I’ve accomplished on this case in addition to a abstract of what I’d write within the affidavit for search warrant if I had been the creator.”
The college launched attachments related to these emails to ESPN on Friday, following repeated requests. Among the many attachments was a sworn affidavit for a search warrant signed by a choose on Sept. 28 exhibiting Briggs knew express particulars of what the girl reported to Lawrence police.
When contacted by ESPN, Patrick Wade, a spokesman for College of Illinois police, stated, “We might not have any data to supply with it being one other division’s investigation.” In a subsequent e mail, he added, “UIPD shared very restricted data with Division of Intercollegiate Athletics employees who helped facilitate UIPD’s execution of the search warrant. It’s not inside our coverage to share or talk particular particulars or reviews about an ongoing investigation for non-law enforcement functions.”
In a press release to ESPN, Derrick Burson, a spokesman for Illinois athletics, stated: “The paperwork you acquired below [the Freedom of Information Act] had been within the possession of College of Illinois Police (UIPD), not the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA). UIPD made clear to DIA that it was not at liberty to share the precise data in its possession because of the ongoing investigation in Lawrence. In consequence, no paperwork with actionable data had been acquired by DIA till December 27, when DIA acquired a duplicate of the arrest warrant and a Lawrence, Kansas police report.”
The weblog Champaign Showers first reported concerning the emails Thursday.
Athletic director Josh Whitman stated in December the varsity discovered of the Lawrence police investigation involving Shannon in late September however did not obtain “actionable data” till a warrant was issued for Shannon’s arrest on Dec. 27, at which level Illinois suspended him from all staff actions. Whitman stated that the athletic division had “no direct communication” with Lawrence police and that College of Illinois police acted as their “middleman.”
However in line with the emails obtained by ESPN, Leitner advised Briggs and Kaeding in the identical Sept. 27 e mail that he has “been working with [Illinois assistant athletic director for basketball] Joey Biggs with the College to set the interview up.”
In a press release to ESPN, Burson stated, “No DIA employees had direct, substantive communication with Lawrence police relating to this matter. UIPD referred Joey Biggs to Lawrence police for the only real goal of student-athlete scheduling. This aligns along with his obligations because the staff’s director of operations.”
A spokesperson for Lawrence police stated in a press release: “Whereas we acknowledge the curiosity relating to this case, the Lawrence Kansas Police Division has a authorized obligation to not focus on circumstances already charged in District Courtroom.” Leitner didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Whitman additionally stated that his division was not capable of get further data from Lawrence police: “We requested LPD by means of [University of Illinois police] for one thing extra concrete,” Whitman stated at a information convention in December following Shannon’s arrest. “We requested to see a police report, we requested for updates with some frequency over the course of the weeks and months that adopted, however nothing was forthcoming.
“Every part that we acquired was verbal, casual, it was mild on particulars, it was unsubstantiated. It was unclear to us whether or not Lawrence authorities meant to pursue something additional, what further data they had been attempting to acquire. We weren’t made conscious of any particular prices that the oldsters in Lawrence had been contemplating. … We did not have something in writing, there was no written discover of allegations, no documentation. We did not have a police report.”
On Oct. 24, Briggs emailed Leitner asking for an replace in Shannon’s case. Leitner responded the identical day, saying, “Sadly I haven’t got any replace for you. I anticipate he both was charged or will likely be quickly.” Leitner added that he had submitted DNA for evaluation “nevertheless it might be a while earlier than now we have outcomes.”
Leitner additionally carbon-copied Jennifer Tatum, an assistant district lawyer in Douglas County, Kansas, to the October e mail change with Briggs, writing that Tatum “could possibly shed some mild on the place we’re at with the charging course of.” Tatum replied to the e-mail the identical day, saying, “I will likely be again with each of you on this quickly.” The paperwork present no extra responses on the e-mail change.
A preliminary listening to within the legal case towards Shannon is scheduled for Feb. 23.
