NCAAbbs

While I know the charges have been "dropped" would we want this guy at Carolina?

Midwest City stars named in rape complaint
2002-01-24
By Mike Strain
The Oklahoman

Midwest City basketball stars Shelden Williams and De'Angelo Alexander, along with another teammate, have been named in a rape complaint in Columbus, Ohio, according to a police report obtained by The Oklahoman.

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De'Angelo Alexander


Shelden Williams

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Two other Midwest City basketball players also are part of a rape investigation being conducted by the Columbus police.

A 19-year-old woman filed a report with the Columbus police on Sunday morning. She stated that the suspects forced sexual conduct at 2 a.m. that morning in a hotel room at the Columbus Hyatt hotel.

No charges have been filed.

"Detectives are looking at the case at this point," said Columbus police spokesman Sherry Mercurio.

The players were interviewed separately Sunday by Columbus police but not arrested. Midwest City coaches were there for the interviews, designated as temporary guardians.

Named as suspects on the report are Williams, 18; Alexander, 17; and Matthew R. Kemp, 17. All three are starters at Midwest City.

Two other Midwest City players are named as witnesses.

Mercurio said the two witnesses "are accused of being in the room when it happened and are part of the investigation."

The witnesses also could face charges if they are filed.

All five players have been suspended from school until at least Monday and did not play in Midwest City's first-round victory over Choctaw on Friday in the Jenks Invitational. Midwest City coach Rodney Dindy declined comment Thursday, but school district spokesman Josh O'Brien confirmed the suspensions but didn't name who was suspended. O'Brien had no comment early Thursday afternoon.

Midwest City was in Columbus during the weekend for the National Hoops Classic. The Bombers lost to Columbus Brookhaven 71-59 on Saturday.

Williams and Alexander are two of the top high school recruits in the nation. Williams, a 6-foot-9 forward, has signed with Duke and is considered by recruiting analysts as one of the nation's top 10 seniors; Alexander, a 6-5 guard, has signed with Oklahoma and is considered among the top 30 seniors in America.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was unavailable for comment Thursday; the Blue Devils were on the road at Boston College.

OU coach Kelvin Sampson had no comment about the matter Thursday. He said it remains an issue between Midwest City and its players.

Before the suspensions this week, Alexander and Williams had helped Midwest City to 43 consecutive victories against Oklahoma teams. The Bombers have won two straight Class 6A titles and three of the last four.

Midwest City, the top-ranked team in 6A, has a 10-4 record after Thursday's win. All of the Bombers' losses have come in out-of-state events against teams ranked in the top 11 nationally.

Jenni Carlson, Scott Munn, Rudolph Sherman and Mike Koehler also contributed to this report.

None of us really know what happened, I don't see the relevance in guessing about someone's personal life without their consent. This is the kind of **** that gives the 1st amendment a bad name.

Nate, I am asking Carolina fans for their opinion, nothing more...OK?

That doesn't mean it is exclusive to UNC fans.

That is fine. I welcome all votes. I see you have posted yours, and you are welcome to do so. But I think there is more to the Williams issue than what is being reported. That is MY opinion, nothing more.

Thank you for that brilliant assesment of our program.

I wouldn't want him here regardless of the situation. I think he's gone after this year no matter what, especially with something like this hanging over him (even if it isn't true).

Getting him might have kept us from getting May... you never know. And, between the two, I'd take May and never look back.

-JD

Wilcox was a good player coming out of highschool, but nothing compared to what he has developed into presently. I also heard (sorry no link) that UNC didn't heavily pursue him because it looked like he would have problems qualifying academically. Give Gary Williams and his staff all the credit for the chance they took on him and the improvement that he has displayed. Do you really think Wilcox would be the same player under Doherty had UNC recruited him and he had become a Tarheel?

On the Jason Parker situation, he should have been a Tarheel. It sucks that some person in our UNC administration f***ed up and as a result lost a star in Jason. But he would have been much more than a star, he is exactly the player we need/ed inside. But anyways, that is in the past and we must not dwell on it, but move on and learn from it.

And Parker could just as easily been out for the duration with an injury. It's all just speculation, if you have a speculum. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

<small>[ April 06, 2002, 03:41 PM: Message edited by: The Bomber ]</small>