Former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. will stand trial for first-degree felony rape and felony sexual aggravated battery next month, a Kansas judge ruled Friday.
The decision came at Shannon’s preliminary hearing in Douglas County, Kansas. Judge Sally Pokorny ruled there was probably cause for the case to go to trial.
The trial is slated to start June 10.
“Our legal team is neither shocked nor disappointed by the outcome of this event,” Mark Sutter, one of Shannon’s attorneys, said in a statement. “A preliminary hearing is a procedural process that merely speaks to the threshold of evidence and whether a question of fact may exist for a jury. It has nothing to do with guilt or innocence. Those issues will be decided at trial, and we continue to look forward to our day in court.”
A woman accused Shannon of sexually penetrating her with his fingers at a bar in Lawrence, Kan., on Sept. 9. The woman identified Shannon through pictures she saw online and informed police he was her assaulter.
Shannon was arrested and charged in the case.
After a warrant was issued in late December, Illinois suspended Shannon indefinitely. He missed six games before gaining a restraining order by a federal judge allowed him to rejoin the Illini.
Shannon stood out for Illinois with a 23.0 scoring average in 32 games (31 starts) this season. He led the team in scoring and 3-point baskets (77).
Shannon guided Illinois to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before it lost to eventual national champion UConn.
The university dropped its investigation into Shannon in April.
Shannon is hopeful of being selected in the NBA Draft, slated for June 26-27. He has been projected as a lottery pick by some draft entities.
–Field Level Media