Treon Harris's lawyer released a statement today, and it's the standard defense lawyer drivel you'd expect from a guy who's a go-to wrangler for football players in trouble. His client, the University of Florida's freshman quarterback, is being investigated by university police in connection with an alleged sexual assault; he is out here to explain that whatever happened, it was the accuser's fault.
The Orlando Sentinel posted the full text online, and here are the lowlights.
First, we want to dispel the idea that the alleged victim and our client didn't know each other. Our client and the alleged victim knew each other to the extent that they had each other's cell phone numbers and had previously spent time together of their own accord for the purpose of socializing together.
Translation: They know each other, so it can't be rape.
We want to dispel the idea and rumors floating around that our client forced his way into the alleged victim's apartment. Those rumors are patently false. Mr. Harris has never been inside the young lady's room. We understand that all of the evidence was gathered from our client's room, which is where the interaction between the two parties took place.
Translation: Nobody forced their way in, so it can't be rape.
We know that an individual has given testimony to law enforcement that he had sexual relations with the alleged victim less than an hour before the alleged sexual conduct with our client took place. In fact, testimony indicates that the young lady in question was the sexual aggressor in that interaction.
Translation: She's a slut, and sluts can't be raped.
Our investigation has produced no evidence whatsoever that the young lady in question was impaired.
Translation: She wasn't drunk or high, so it can't be rape.
We have provided law enforcement with multiple witnesses that will indicate what the interaction was between the alleged victim and our client before they returned to our client's room: they were smiling and they were holding hands. They returned to the Springs Residential Complex in a car driven by another female student who was a friend of the alleged victim.
Translation: She didn't look scared, so she can't be a rape victim.
We have provided multiple text messages to the authorities investigating this incident. These texts were exchanged among the alleged victim, Mr. Harris, and the other gentleman mentioned above.
When these text messages are released, they will show that the young woman making these allegations initiated the conduct with Mr. Harris while he was still in the locker room in Knoxville. Shortly after the team plane landed, texting continued between Mr. Harris and the alleged victim.
Translation: It's her fault for talking to a football player.
We believe the evidence will show the alleged victim was in fact in the sexual aggressor with not one, but two young men early last Sunday morning.
Translation: She deserved it.
Misstatements in the media to date have painted a picture that is inconsistent with the evidence. That said, we have fully cooperated with this investigation. Mr. Harris agreed to a search of his dorm room. Mr. Harris agreed to a search of his phone. Mr. Harris gave a voluntary statement to law enforcement. We have turned over at least six (6) eyewitnesses to the events in questions to law enforcement. We have turned over the text messages to law enforcement. We have suggested to law enforcement multiple locations from which they should secure video surveillance. We have provided law enforcement with information gathered from the Internet that this young woman posted on Sunday, after the alleged misconduct, where she is smiling and happy. There is no indication of any physical or mental trauma.
We have previously indicated that we do not believe that Mr. Harris will be arrested or prosecuted. That is because of our experience and the facts of this case. He is not guilty of a crime and he did not mistreat this young lady in any way that night.
Translation: My client isn't guilty but, more importantly, I hope everything I wrote leading up to this convinced you that she's a slut who deserved it.
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