Former Illinois star and NBA hopeful Terrence Shannon Jr. has been found not guilty in his rape trial. Shannon was acquitted of charges of sexual assault that allegedly occurred on September 9 in Lawrence, Kansas, where he was attending a football game between Illinois and the University of Kansas, according to the Lawrence Journal-World.
After a four-day trial, the State of Kansas found Shannon Jr. not guilty of rape and aggravated sexual battery. The trial featured testimony from Kevin McCullar Jr., a former teammate at Texas Tech and current Kansas basketball player, as well as forensic scientists.
Shannon Jr. faced charges of rape and an alternative count of sexual battery, leading to a six-game suspension during the Illini’s season. A federal judge later ruled his civil rights had been violated, reinstating him.
Shannon Jr. participated in the 2024 NBA Combine in Chicago, where he made his first public statements since the accusations, saying in May, “I’m looking forward to my day in court.”
