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Three former New Mexico State basketball players have been criminally charged after accusations arose that they sexually assaulted their teammates last year, the state’s attorney general said Thursday.
Deshawndre Washington, Doctor Bradley and Kim Aiken Jr. were charged with criminal sexual penetration; multiple counts of false imprisonment and criminal sexual contact; and multiple counts of conspiracy charges, according to indictment documents released Thursday.
The indictment documents contain few details of the alleged abuse but note that the alleged incidents occurred between August and November 2022. All 37 charges are felonies in New Mexico.
Joleen Youngers, who represented all five plaintiffs, said her clients were grateful for the charges but focused on more institutional responsibility.
“It still only addresses the behavior of the three perpetrators,” Youngers told ESPN. “Where were the coaches, where was their staff, where was the AD?… It’s unfortunate that this atmosphere was allowed to be created and to grow.”
New Mexico State canceled the remainder of its 2022-23 men’s basketball season in February after freshman guard Deuce Benjamin told campus police that older teammates had repeatedly forced him to the floor of their locker room and sexually assaulted him. The allegations also led New Mexico State to fire basketball coach Greg Heiar.
The university declined to comment on both the civil and criminal cases. Washington, Bradley and Aiken could not be reached for comment.
In April, Benjamin and teammate Shak Odunewu filed a lawsuit naming Washington, Bradley and Aiken as defendants. In the lawsuit, Benjamin and Odunewu allege their…
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