Ex-MSU football player Donnie Corley, left, appears before 54-B District Court Judge Richard Ball during his arraignment on June 7, 2017 at 54-B District Court in East Lansing.
Attorney John Shea claimed on Wednesday ex-MSU football player Donnie Corley is innocent of raping a woman and is being falsely accused of a crime he did not commit.
Corley, 19, is facing a third-degree Criminal Sexual Conduct charge in part of an alleged incident involving Corley and two other ex-MSU football players at a Jan. 16 party at University Village apartments.
Corley joins fellow ex-MSU football teammate Demetric Vance, whose attorney also claims was falsely accused. Corley, Vance and Josh King allegedly took turns raping the victim at a Jan. 16 party at University Village.
Corley allegedly forced a woman to perform oral sex on him after King allegedly forced the woman into oral and vaginal sexual intercourse.
"It's never a good day when a criminal charge is filed against you, but at least Mr. Corley knows what he is facing and can get on with the process of fighting it," Shea said in a statement. "He maintains that, in fact, he IS innocent, and we intend to demonstrate that in the coming proceedings."
Shea and Corley declined to comment after the arraignment.
Corley stood silent next to Shea at the center podium of the 54-B District Courtroom for the entire arraignment. With family watching, it was Corley’s first appearance in court since head coach Mark Dantonio removed him, Vance and King from the football program.
"He has denied the allegations," Shea said during the arraignment. "When the allegations arose he consented to a police interview."
Judge Richard Ball set Corley’s bond at 10 percent of $10,000 — reduced from the $50,000 bond sought by prosecutors. Ball gave the same bond to Vance during his arraignment on Tuesday.
Ball said Corley's preliminary hearing will on June 22 at 9 a.m. and a probable cause conference set for June 15 at 1 p.m.
In a copy of the Swear-To hearing from Tuesday, Corley said he confirmed he went to the party at University Village, but initially denied multiple times having any sexual contact with anyone at the party.
Corley later changed his statement and admitted he did receive oral sex with a woman in the bathroom at a party, but did not know the female’s name, according to the Swear-To. Corley also said when he entered the room he observed King having sex with the victim. The Swear-To never clarifies whether the woman Corley claims to have received oral sex from was the same woman as the victim.
Vance was also charged with one count of third-degree sexual criminal conduct. King, who will be arraigned later Wednesday, faces one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree of criminal sexual conduct and one charge of capturing and/or distributing an image of an unclothed person.
"(Corley's) behavior throughout this process has been above reproach," Shea said.
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