PROVO — Two of the Brigham Young University football players accused in the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl were part of a new program designed to help freshmen integrate into the community and stay out of trouble.
Coaches encouraged freshmen players to live with regular students this fall in school-approved housing, where the landlord can enforce the university's honor code, a source close to the team said. Two of the players accused of gang rape took the advice, moving into the University Villa apartment complex, 865 N. 160 West in Provo.
But they checked in the first week of August, long before their two roommates were scheduled to arrive. BYU classes don't begin until Aug. 30.
Some coaches hoped housing players with non-athletes would end some of the honor code problems that have marred the football program over the past year. Since the end of last season, BYU has dismissed six players from school.
In March, six football players were punished for honor code violations after having consensual group sex with a BYU female athlete, who initially said she was raped. Two other players were suspended in June after criminal charges were filed alleging they beat and robbed an acquaintance.
For years, administrators have worried about football players and other athletes living in unapproved housing. Although BYU students are required to live in approved housing, many upperclassmen do not, living instead in houses or condominiums where school rules are not enforced. BYU's honor code prohibits premarital sex and the use of tobacco and alcohol.
On Friday, BYU head coach Gary Crowton declined comment on the most recent allegations facing the team, as did players. He has not dismissed or suspended the accused players.
"Any time allegations of misconduct surface regarding our players, it's a matter of serious concern for us," Crowton said in a written statement. "We want to get to the bottom of this, and when we do, we will work with the university to do what is appropriate."
Several prominent boosters, who asked not be named, expressed frustration with the program's disciplinary problems.
The 17-year-old girl said she met a group of men at the Provo Towne Centre mall on Sunday, Aug. 8, and gave them her phone number, according to an affidavit by Provo Detective DeVon Jensen filed in 4th District Court. One, identified as a BYU football player, later called her and invited her to his apartment.
The girl told police 10 men were at the apartment playing video games when she arrived with her 19-year-old cousin. The men, who identified themselves as freshman football players at BYU, brought out a half-gallon bottle of Smirnoff vodka and "started calling her a chicken and daring her to drink some," the affidavit said.
After the girls drank some shots, one of the men put in a pornographic DVD, according to the affidavit. The cousin said she felt uncomfortable and left with one of the men.
The victim said she started to feel sick and was taken to a bedroom, where she either passed out or fell asleep.
She said she woke up naked and that one of the men was having sexual intercourse with her. Over the next 20 to 30 minutes she said three or four men had sex with her.
She said she finally pushed one of the males away and ran to a bathroom, where she vomited. She remained there until the man who initially called her returned and drove her, at about 1:30 a.m., to the house where her cousin had gone. The girl and her cousin arrived home about 3:30 a.m.
The girl, accompanied by her parents and the cousin, reported the alleged incident to police later that day, Aug. 9. Police took the cousin to University Villa, where she reportedly identified the third-floor apartment.
The search warrant authorized police to seize evidence of vodka, but none was listed in the search inventory Jensen filed with the court.
According to the search inventory, police did recover a pornographic DVD, a box of condoms, two bed sheets and a blue wash cloth from the apartment. They also lifted fingerprints.
In addition to possible discipline from the school, the case will be screened by the Utah County Attorney's Office to determine if criminal charges are warranted.
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