Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. acquitted of sexual assault charges as defense cites lack of DNA evidence as key factor

Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was found not guilty of rape and aggravated assault charges, in which he was accused of grabbing the alleged victim's behind and penetrating her with his fingers at a bar in Kansas in September. On Thursday, the Douglas County jury deliberated on the evidence for about 90 minutes before concluding.

In the four-day trial, physical evidence from the victim's body and digital evidence from her phone were presented to the jury. Two forensic experts, as well as one computer forensics expert, took to the stand to present their findings.

The forensic expert from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation concluded in her report that the sample from the alleged victim's underwear had an “insufficient amount of male DNA” (per Chicago Tribune).

The other privately hired expert by the defense called the reference to male DNA “a very misleading statement.” They concluded “with scientific certainty” that the sample did not contain any of Terrence Shannon Jr.’s DNA. Shannon’s defense attorney, Bruce Sutter, said in his closing statement:

“Two things aren’t debatable. Simple science dictates that Terrence Shannon Jr. isn’t responsible for this crime, and there’s been absolutely no effort to find the perpetrator guilty of this crime.” (via Chicago Tribune)

What happened between Terrence Shannon Jr. and the alleged victim?

On Sept. 9, 2023, Terrence Shannon Jr., accompanied by Illinois graduate assistant DyShawn Hobson and teammate Justin Harmon, attended a Kansas vs. Illini football game. After the game, the guard, along with the football and basketball teams, went to the Martini Room, a bar in Jayhawk Cafe.

It was here that Shannon was said to have met the victim, who was with her best friend. The 18-year-old told jurors that a man with different-colored dreadlocks and a mustard-yellow shirt called her over. Thinking they would exchange numbers or Snapchats, she approached him but was grabbed and felt him move to grab her behind.

“I was definitely uncomfortable,” she told jurors (via Chicago Tribune). “I don’t know why I didn’t (walk away). But I wish I did.”

She filed a police report the same Saturday and went to the Lawrence Hospital to collect a sexual assault nurse examination kit. The victim reportedly identified Terrence Shannon Jr. after a Google search of the Kansas and Illinois basketball teams.

The computer forensic expert found the same after extracting data from her phone. They also found a group chat text between the victim and her roommates, including her best friend's sister, who sent a text saying “got his ass,” with an emoji with dollar signs for eyes and another with cash for tongues.

Hobson and Harmon, along with Kansas' Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. stood at the trial in support of Shannon Jr. The guard is a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft.