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Baxter Holmes
A decide sentenced Ben McLemore to greater than eight years in Oregon state jail Wednesday after the previous NBA guard was discovered responsible of raping and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old lady at a Lake Oswego home get together in 2021.
A Clackamas County Circuit Court docket jury discovered the 32-year-old McLemore, who hasn’t performed within the NBA since 2022, guilty last week on one cost of first-degree rape, one cost of first-degree illegal sexual penetration and one rely of second-degree sexual abuse. The jury did not convict McLemore on an extra rely of second-degree sexual abuse. McLemore, who was sentenced to 100 months in state jail Wednesday, pleaded not responsible to all 4 counts.
McLemore didn’t deal with the courtroom and was wearing a Clackamas County Jail inmate clothes.
“Many individuals are sometimes afraid to report such a conduct for numerous causes,” Clackamas County First Assistant District Legal professional Scott Healy mentioned in a press release. “Hopefully the sufferer’s power and braveness on this case will give others the fortitude to return ahead in circumstances the place sexual assault has occurred. The sentence the defendant obtained at present ought to function a reminder that such a conduct is not going to be tolerated in our group, and that the Clackamas County DA’s Workplace will at all times work onerous to carry offenders accountable and supply justice to victims.”
The costs stem from a report of sexual assault in Lake Oswego on Oct. 3, 2021, on the residence of Robert Covington, considered one of McLemore’s then-teammates on the Portland Trail Blazers. Police started investigating, and McLemore was recognized as a suspect.
In February 2024, a Clackamas County grand jury heard proof within the case, together with testimony from the lady who mentioned McLemore assaulted her, and issued an indictment towards McLemore in addition to an arrest warrant, based on police from Lake Oswego.
U.S. Marshals arrested McLemore two months later.
“We hope the Oregon Legislature will undertake a ‘re-assessment’ course of that may consider whether or not he ought to serve the whole 100 month sentence or whether or not, past the quick alcohol-influenced encounter that led to this conviction, he’s a thoughtful and humble one that has lived an honorable, community-focused life,” McLemore’s legal professional, Kristen Winemiller, advised ESPN on Wednesday.
Healy advised jurors throughout the trial that the lady had been ingesting closely, handed out on a front room sofa round 2 a.m., then regained partial consciousness within the morning when McLemore sexually penetrated her along with his fingers after which started having intercourse together with her.
McLemore’s attorneys disputed the sufferer’s account and claimed she initiated sexual contact and consented to it. Additionally they asserted that the lady was sober sufficient to consent despite the fact that each she and McLemore have been intoxicated. On Wednesday, the sufferer appeared by video and skim a press release.
“This has been the longest virtually 4 years of my life. I by no means imagined that reporting this again in 2021 would result in such an extremely tough and lengthy journey,” she mentioned, partly. “These previous couple of years have typically felt like a weight that I’ve needed to drag behind me, a continuing reminder of the trauma that I have never been capable of absolutely work via as a result of there was no ending in sight. I now perceive, on a deep stage, why so many victims hesitate or by no means report what occurred to them.”
McLemore was the seventh decide within the 2013 draft out of Kansas and performed for 5 groups throughout 9 NBA seasons. After enjoying for the Path Blazers, McLemore started enjoying abroad for skilled groups in China, Greece and Spain.
