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ESPN - Terrence Shannon files for restraining order against Illinois
The presumption of innocence is crucial in the pursuit of justice. However, I don't think that means that others outside of the justice department/courts have to go along with business as usual. What kind of risk does Illinois face if they allow him to continue being a part of the team and he sexually assaults someone else?
Does anyone else ever get the benefit of the doubt so it doesn't impact their professional careers/aspirations? Hell, I know one story where an airline pilot was illegally detained and charged with DUI, even though he showed zero indications of being intoxicated and blew 0's and even though all of the evidence pointed towards the charge being BS, his professional life as a commercial pilot was severely impacted as there's a zero tolerance policy there. The charge was made because PDs get money from the US government for DUI charges/problems in an area.
I'm not saying Shannon is guilty as I have no idea, but I see zero problem with him being suspended until things are figured out. It's a lot less harmful to him than it is to many who may be immediately fired for simply being charged/arrested for something. If he is found not guilty, he will still have every opportunity to play at the next level, though maybe it gets delayed by a year. If he's found guilty, he still may get the opportunity. It's not like the NBA hasn't made a lot of scumbags wealthy because they can play ball.
Terrence Shannon Jr. filed for a temporary restraining order Monday that demands his school "immediately reinstate" the Illinois basketball player who was suspended indefinitely from all team activities last month following an arrest on a rape charge, his lawyer, Mark Sutter, told ESPN. The charge stems from an alleged rape in September.
Shannon's lawsuit, filed by Sutter and his legal team in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Champaign, lists the Illinois board of trustees and school president Timothy Killeen as defendants.
After a warrant was issued for Shannon in Douglas County, Kansas, last month, he submitted to authorities and was briefly jailed before posting bail and returning to Champaign.
According to the initial complaint, Shannon was charged with "unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly engaged in sexual intercourse with a person ... who did not consent to the sexual intercourse under circumstances when she was overcome by force or fear, a severity level 1 person felony."
The temporary restraining order, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, claims Shannon was not granted due process before he was removed from the team. He is set to be arraigned Jan. 18, but the trial for the case would not begin until June, after the conclusion of the college basketball season.
"Does the presumption of innocence really mean anything? That question is at the heart of this case," the lawsuit states. "Illinois has promised [Shannon] that it would adhere to this presumption, but in practice Illinois has not applied it by suspending [him] and ruining his career as if he were already convicted. [Shannon] maintains his innocence, for the record. Sexual assault is a horrific crime, and [Shannon] is appalled that his name is mentioned in the same sentence with such a crime, and he in no way seeks to minimize that it is a real problem."
Shannon's lawsuit, filed by Sutter and his legal team in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Champaign, lists the Illinois board of trustees and school president Timothy Killeen as defendants.
After a warrant was issued for Shannon in Douglas County, Kansas, last month, he submitted to authorities and was briefly jailed before posting bail and returning to Champaign.
According to the initial complaint, Shannon was charged with "unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly engaged in sexual intercourse with a person ... who did not consent to the sexual intercourse under circumstances when she was overcome by force or fear, a severity level 1 person felony."
The temporary restraining order, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, claims Shannon was not granted due process before he was removed from the team. He is set to be arraigned Jan. 18, but the trial for the case would not begin until June, after the conclusion of the college basketball season.
"Does the presumption of innocence really mean anything? That question is at the heart of this case," the lawsuit states. "Illinois has promised [Shannon] that it would adhere to this presumption, but in practice Illinois has not applied it by suspending [him] and ruining his career as if he were already convicted. [Shannon] maintains his innocence, for the record. Sexual assault is a horrific crime, and [Shannon] is appalled that his name is mentioned in the same sentence with such a crime, and he in no way seeks to minimize that it is a real problem."
Does anyone else ever get the benefit of the doubt so it doesn't impact their professional careers/aspirations? Hell, I know one story where an airline pilot was illegally detained and charged with DUI, even though he showed zero indications of being intoxicated and blew 0's and even though all of the evidence pointed towards the charge being BS, his professional life as a commercial pilot was severely impacted as there's a zero tolerance policy there. The charge was made because PDs get money from the US government for DUI charges/problems in an area.
I'm not saying Shannon is guilty as I have no idea, but I see zero problem with him being suspended until things are figured out. It's a lot less harmful to him than it is to many who may be immediately fired for simply being charged/arrested for something. If he is found not guilty, he will still have every opportunity to play at the next level, though maybe it gets delayed by a year. If he's found guilty, he still may get the opportunity. It's not like the NBA hasn't made a lot of scumbags wealthy because they can play ball.
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