Penn State RB Pleads Not Guilty

When are the rape cases going to end for the collegiate athletes?!?
According to ESPN sources, “Suspended Penn State tailback Austin Scott pleaded not guilty Wednesday and was ordered to stand trial on felony rape and sexual-assault charges.” At this point in the season, Scott, a senior running back, has compiled 302 yards on 69 attempts rushing and 12 yards on 2 receptions. He’s already surpassed his rushing results from the 2006 season (273), and has nearly caught up to his results from 2005 (312). His projected rushing yards for the season were 518, according to ESPN, but now that he has these charges on him, he might not even be able to complete the season. At the preliminary hearing, the judge, Daniel Hoffman, “also upheld several misdemeanor charges. Prosecutors withdrew two felony charges of aggravated indecent assault against the 22-year-old because of a lack of evidence.”

Scott, the Allentown, Pennsylvania native, calls it consensual. The accuser, who is a fellow Penn State student, “testified that he and Scott had met once before and had been text messaging each other before getting together at a bar. The rape allegedly occurred in the early morning hours on Oct. 5 at Scott’s on-campus apartment.” He was suspended later on that same day and was charged about a week later. According to his defense lawyer, John Karoly, “Scott will remain in school while he fights the charges.”

There have been many rape accusations connected to athletes, professional and collegiate. Some of the most heard of ones are the Duke Lacrosse players and Kobe Bryant. According to USA Today, there have been 168 sexual assault allegations against athletes in the past dozen years, giving significant results. Out of the 168 allegations, involving 164 different athletes, only 22 of the cases went to trial. Only 6 cases came out with the athlete being convicted. In 46 of the other cases, there was a plea agreement reached. These numbers are alarmingly small, considering how big of a deal a rape charge is. Why is it that athletes are seemingly given special attention? They should be given the same punishment as any regular person who is charged with rape. This is the problem with athletes. It seems that they are above the law, it’s like with drug charges and professional athletes, always getting away with a fine, but never learning their lesson. When is they court system going to be straightened out?