Delay likely in gang-rape trial

PROVO — The trial for three former Brigham Young University football players accused of gang-raping a teenage girl is now expected to begin in March.

The trial had been slated for January, but because of the voluminous amount of evidence to review, defense attorneys will ask for a later date at a court-scheduling conference on Jan. 3.

On Monday, two players indicted by a grand jury on lesser charges in the case were scheduled to appear before 4th District Court Judge Steven Hansen.

Antwaun Harris, charged with providing false or inconsistent information to investigators, made his first court appearance since being indicted by a grand jury.

The judge scheduled a Jan. 18 hearing for Harris, who was suspended from the football team as a result of the allegations made against the players.

Another suspended player, Billy Skinner, was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to face a charge of dealing harmful material to a minor. He had his initial appearance postponed until Jan. 4, however.

Utah County Deputy Attorney Donna Kelly said Harris and Skinner may be called as witnesses in the case against B.J. Mathis, Karland Bennett and Ibrahim Rashada, three of the four players accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in August.

William Turner Jr. is the fourth player indicted on felony charges of aggravated sexual assault. He will be tried as a juvenile.

Prosecutors last week gave defense attorneys more than 770 pages of reports and records pertaining to the case, as well as videotaped and audiotaped statements from players and former coaches.

Also last week, 4th District Court Judge Claudia Laycock unsealed 50 pages of court documents related to the case. According to those records, nine BYU football players were present at the University Villa apartment "at different times during the night this alleged incident occurred."

The unsealed documents also revealed that players had talked to both Gary Crowton, former head coach, and Mike Empey, a coach who oversaw recruiting. All of the accused players, and those who have been indicted, were newly recruited players.

The girl told police she and a cousin met seven or eight football players at a Provo mall on Aug. 8 and then rejoined them at an apartment shared by Bennett and Mathis. She said she was goaded into watching a pornographic movie and drinking vodka.

She said she passed out in a room and when she woke she was being raped. She said several men participated in the rape.

Earlier this month, a grand jury indicted Bennett, Mathis, Rashada and Turner on two counts of aggravated sexual assault, one count of dealing harmful material to a minor and one count of obstruction of justice. The four players were also charged with furnishing alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor.

Mathis, Rashada and Turner have entered not guilty pleas to all charges.