Back to square one for former Y. athlete

PROVO — A former Brigham Young University football player who was indicted in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a teenager is being allowed to back out of a plea deal with prosecutors by withdrawing his guilty plea to reduced charges.

As a result, Karland Bennett, 20, again faces felony sex-related charges — the same charges for which his former Cougar teammates Ibrahim Rashada and B.J. Mathis were acquitted this summer after a six-day trial.

Bennett's attorney sought permission from a 4th District Court judge to allow Bennett to change his plea to the amended charges of dealing in harmful material to a minor and obstruction of justice in the weeks after the jury returned a not-guilty verdict

His attorney, Greg Skordas, argued that Bennett should be allowed to change his plea because he shouldn't be dealt a harsher penalty than Rashada and Mathis.

On Wednesday, Judge Samuel McVey sided with Skordas, sending Bennett back to the beginning of the legal process with his former charges in tow.

In his ruling, McVey wrote: "The court's ruling does not exonerate Mr. Bennett. He still stands charged of serious felonies, including the more serious charge of aggravated sexual assault, because this situation is best corrected by placing the parties in their original positions with Mr. Bennett charged with the original information."

Skordas said Bennett is apprehensive of the situation and future legal proceedings.

"It's good news, bad news," Skordas said. "He still has the trepidation he felt when he was charged with those more serious charges. It's not over."

Four men — Rashada, Mathis, Bennett and William Turner Jr. — were indicted by a grand jury in December 2004 for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl and attempting to cover it up.

Along with first-degree felonies of aggravated sexual assault, the men each faced charges of dealing in harmful material to a minor, a third-degree felony, and obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, as well as a class B misdemeanor for furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Turner was tried as a juvenile in exchange for testimony at trial, and Bennett took the plea deal.

As part of the plea deal, Bennett agreed to testify against his former teammates in exchange for a reduction of charges and the stipulation that his sentence be no harsher than his peers, Skordas said.

Donna Kelly, a deputy Utah County attorney, said there was never any written agreements regarding the outcome and future sentencing options.