Published: Thursday, October 18, 2007
Scott to stand trial for rape
The suspended Penn State
tailback has pleaded not guilty.
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — Suspended Penn State tailback Austin Scott was ordered to stand trial on felony rape and sexual-assault charges after a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
District Judge Daniel Hoffman also upheld several misdemeanor charges, but prosecutors withdrew two felony charges of aggravated indecent assault because of a lack of evidence.
The accuser, a fellow Penn State student, testified Wednesday that she and Scott had met each other about two months ago at a bar where she worked, then had lunch one other time, but frequently exchanged text messages.
They had been texting each other before meeting at another downtown bar. The rape allegedly occurred in the early morning hours on Oct. 5 at Scott's on-campus apartment.
Scott, 22, of Allentown, called the encounter consensual and pleaded not guilty at Wednesday's hearing. He was suspended from the team on Oct. 5, and charged last week.
"Judge, it's clear here that this is every man's nightmare," defense lawyer John Karoly said in his closing remarks to Hoffman.
During 90 minutes on the witness stand, the woman offered graphic testimony of the encounter, often turning her head to the side and nervously playing with her hair. She had to stop a couple times to catch her breath, and was nearly brought to tears.
The woman said she had told Scott during the walk to his apartment she did not want to have sex.
She fell asleep on his bed and awoke to Scott trying to have sex, she testified. She said she tried to get up and "I started to say the word 'no' when he hit me."
Assistant district attorney Lance Marshall called the case unusual.
"What makes this assault different ... is that she was punched in the kidney in order to gain compliance," Marshall said outside the courthouse.
A trial date has not been set.
Scott leaned back gently in a chair at the defense table and often looked down or stared straight ahead during the woman's testimony. Family members sat in the gallery, and at least one teammate was there to watch part of the hearing.
Karoly said the accuser had a "troubled past," but would not elaborate until trial.
He said he was so confident of his client's innocence he would not consider a plea bargain.
Scott will remain in school. Karoly said he hoped coach Joe Paterno would reconsider his decision to suspend Scott while he awaits trial.
Paterno has said he took action because Scott violated a team rule.
"I believe that, consistent with what has happened with other members of the team that are facing trial, that he should be allowed to return to the team," Karoly said. "Austin is anxious to get back."
Safety Anthony Scirrotto and defensive tackle Chris Baker are scheduled to stand trial in December on charges in connection with an April off-campus fight in which police said two students were hurt.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
The suspended Penn State
tailback has pleaded not guilty.
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — Suspended Penn State tailback Austin Scott was ordered to stand trial on felony rape and sexual-assault charges after a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.
District Judge Daniel Hoffman also upheld several misdemeanor charges, but prosecutors withdrew two felony charges of aggravated indecent assault because of a lack of evidence.
The accuser, a fellow Penn State student, testified Wednesday that she and Scott had met each other about two months ago at a bar where she worked, then had lunch one other time, but frequently exchanged text messages.
They had been texting each other before meeting at another downtown bar. The rape allegedly occurred in the early morning hours on Oct. 5 at Scott's on-campus apartment.
Scott, 22, of Allentown, called the encounter consensual and pleaded not guilty at Wednesday's hearing. He was suspended from the team on Oct. 5, and charged last week.
"Judge, it's clear here that this is every man's nightmare," defense lawyer John Karoly said in his closing remarks to Hoffman.
During 90 minutes on the witness stand, the woman offered graphic testimony of the encounter, often turning her head to the side and nervously playing with her hair. She had to stop a couple times to catch her breath, and was nearly brought to tears.
The woman said she had told Scott during the walk to his apartment she did not want to have sex.
She fell asleep on his bed and awoke to Scott trying to have sex, she testified. She said she tried to get up and "I started to say the word 'no' when he hit me."
Assistant district attorney Lance Marshall called the case unusual.
"What makes this assault different ... is that she was punched in the kidney in order to gain compliance," Marshall said outside the courthouse.
A trial date has not been set.
Scott leaned back gently in a chair at the defense table and often looked down or stared straight ahead during the woman's testimony. Family members sat in the gallery, and at least one teammate was there to watch part of the hearing.
Karoly said the accuser had a "troubled past," but would not elaborate until trial.
He said he was so confident of his client's innocence he would not consider a plea bargain.
Scott will remain in school. Karoly said he hoped coach Joe Paterno would reconsider his decision to suspend Scott while he awaits trial.
Paterno has said he took action because Scott violated a team rule.
"I believe that, consistent with what has happened with other members of the team that are facing trial, that he should be allowed to return to the team," Karoly said. "Austin is anxious to get back."
Safety Anthony Scirrotto and defensive tackle Chris Baker are scheduled to stand trial in December on charges in connection with an April off-campus fight in which police said two students were hurt.
Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Suspended Penn State tailback Austin Scott was ordered to stand trial on felony rape and sexual-assault charges after a...
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