Three Michigan State University football players are accused of raping a woman in a bathroom during a party in January at an apartment on campus.
University police Det. Chad Davis described the disturbing details to a judge Tuesday morning as Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance were charged with criminal sexual conduct. King faces the most serious charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of capturing/distributing image of an unclothed person. Corley and Vance both are charged with one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Disturbing details
According to Davis' testimony, Michigan State University police were notified about the alleged assault on Jan. 17. The victim told police she was at a party during the early morning hours of Jan. 16 at the University Villa Apartments, which are on campus in East Lansing. She said she was sexually assaulted in a bathroom by three males.
During an interview with police on Jan. 19, the victim told investigators she was talking to King at the party when he asked her if she wanted to go speak somewhere quiet. She said she knew who King was, that he played on the school's football team, and that they had met before.
She went into two different rooms with King, police said. She said King eventually pulled her into a bathroom where he tried to have sex with her.
"She said she told King she did not want to," Davis testified. "She said King forced her to perform oral sex on him. The victim stated she told King she did not want to do anything else. The victim said King pulled her pants down and penetrated her vaginally with his penis."
She told police that's when King let two friends into the bathroom one at a time.
"The victim said she was forced to perform oral sex on these two friends. The victim asked all of them to stop. The victim said she eventually collapsed to the floor and all three suspects left the bathroom promptly," Davis said during his testimony.
Davis said university police made contact with King on Jan. 24 in his campus dorm room. Davis said King confirmed his identity in a picture from surveillance footage obtained by detectives. On Jan. 26, in an interview with police, he admitted to attending the party on Jan. 16, according to police. However, police said King originally denied having any intimate or sexual contact with anyone at the party. King denied having sexual contact with the victim after police showed him two pictures of her, Davis said.
"King later admitted he had sexual contact with the victim in the bathroom at the party," Davis testified.
King's phone was seized and searched. Police said a group text message between King, Corley and Vance implicated Corley and Vance in the Jan. 16 sexual assault. Both Corley and Vance said they went into the bathroom during the party and saw King having sex with the victim, Davis said, but they originally denied having any sexual contact with her. Eventually they both admitted to receiving oral sex from her, Davis testified.
Davis said King recorded the incident on his cellphone. The victim told police she didn't know about the recording.
Football players suspended in February
University officials announced in February that they were investigating allegations of sexual assault against three football players.
The university said police were working with the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office, and after the investigation, they would forward their findings for review for possible charges.
The three players were suspended from team activities and removed from on-campus housing until the end of the investigation, police said.
Charges against King, Corley and Vance were announced this week. Head coach Mark Dantonio said they have been dismissed from the program.
STORY: Dantonio: 'Sometimes it takes a crisis to recenter yourself'
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