Rape evidence handed on

PROVO — Prosecutors turned over evidence Wednesday to attorneys defending four former Brigham Young University football players accused of gang-raping a 17-year-old girl, providing the first glimpse into the breadth of the four-month investigation into the allegations.

The evidence from the Utah County Attorney's Office includes:

• 770 pages of reports and records from police and the BYU Honor Code office, as well as copies of depositions taken about the Aug. 8 incident. Documents obtained from the Honor Code office reportedly contain a confession from at least one of the players.

• A videotape of a 1 1/2-hour statement given Dec. 1 to Provo police detective Devon Jensen by co-defendant William Turner Jr. That statement is a key piece of evidence for the prosecution, sources told the Deseret Morning News. Turner reportedly admits several players engaged in consensual sex with the girl.

• Videotaped statements from former BYU coaches Gary Crowton, who resigned Dec. 1, and Mike Empey, the coach responsible for recruiting before he was fired Sunday. There also are videotaped statements from players Antwaun Harris, Michael Reed and Michael Morris, as well as audiotaped interviews with players Billy Skinner and Raymond Hudson.

Harris, Reed, Morris, Skinner and Hudson were part of Crowton's 2004 recruiting class. All told, eight recruits and one walk-on from the 2004 class were either involved in the alleged incident or had some knowledge of it, according to the prosecution.

Harris faces a misdemeanor charge of providing false information to investigators, while Skinner has been charged with dealing in harmful material to a minor. Neither player will be arrested, but both may have to testify.

• Audiotaped testimony from the alleged victim and the four players indicted Dec. 2 by the grand jury on two felony counts each of aggravated sexual assault. Those players are: Turner, who will be tried as a juvenile, B.J. Mathis, Karland Bennett and Ibrahim Rashada.

Mathis, Bennett and Rashada were arrested this month and booked into the Utah County Jail. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, which include charges of obstruction of

justice, dealing in material harmful to a minor and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

On Tuesday, bail was reduced from $100,000 cash only to $50,000 cash or bond. Mathis and Bennett have posted bail; friends and family of Rashada are still trying to raise money.

• Transcripts from the grand jury proceedings.