Two Ohio State football players appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to charges that they held a woman against her will and raped her together earlier this month.
Defensive backs Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint - who were ejected from the team Wednesday after the charges came to light - made an initial appearance in Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, and their respective attorneys entered pleas of not guilty.
Judge Cynthia Ebner set bond at $100,000 for Riep and $75,000 for Wint and ordered that the men, both aged 21, not have contact with the accuser or each other. They also were ordered not to discuss the woman on social media.
The case now will go to a grand jury, which will decide whether the men should be indicted.
Former Ohio State Buckeyes football player Amir Riep (left) and Jahsen Wint (right) made their initial court appearance Thursday and pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and rape
These photos provided by the Franklin County Ohio Sheriff show Jahsen Wint, left, and Amir I. Reip, right. Police say two Ohio State University football players have been charged with rape and kidnapping. The Columbus Dispatch reports that 21-year-old defensive players Amir I. Riep and Jahsen L. Wint were booked into jail early Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020. (Franklin County Ohio Sheriff via AP)
Wint, left, consults with his high-powered attorney, Sam Shamansky, right, following his arraignment on Thursday at the Franklin County Municipal Courthouse in Columbus, Ohio
Riep's attorney, Karl Schneider (right), said the young man is cooperating with investigators and is 'sad and depressed' about being kicked off the OSU team
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ShareWint's high-powered attorney, Sam Shamansky, declared his client innocent, pointing out that Columbus police waited seven days to arrest him.
'Were my client some stone-cold rapist, kidnapper, he wouldn't have been on the street for seven minutes, not to mention seven days,' Shamansky said. 'This case is so full of reasonable doubt it's beyond belief. The reality is, my kid's innocent.'
The 19-year-old woman told police that at around 9.45pm on February 4, she started having consensual sex with Riep at an apartment in Columbus he shared with his teammate, Wint, but then stopped and told him she did not want to continue.
At that moment, Wint entered the the room and both men proceeded to physically force her into sex with them, according to court documents.
The complaint alleges that Wint pushed the woman 'down by the neck' onto her hands and knees and raped her in that position.
Then Riep allegedly held the woman down while Wint forced her to perform oral sex on him.
Wint allegedly held the victim by the face to prevent her from 'getting away or getting his penis out of her mouth.'
Riep is accused of holding the 19-year-old woman down and had sex with her against her will
Shamansky argued that his client, Wint, is innocent of the allegations that he forced the woman to perform oral sex on him
After several minutes, they stopped and Riep told the woman that she needed to state her name and say what happened was 'consensual on a video recording while laughing at her,' according to police.
Riep then told the woman she needed to shower before he drove her back to her home.
Officials said in court that police have the video recording.
Shamansky, one of the highest-profile defense lawyers in Columbus, said Wint cooperated fully with police before Shamansky began representing him and has expressed his willingness to take a lie-detector test.
'I'm curious whether his alleged victim is willing to do the same. I'm guessing the answer is no,' Shamanksy said.
Riep's attorney, Karl Schneider, said the young man is cooperating with investigators and is 'sad and depressed' about Ohio State's decision to release him.
Riep's father, Mario Riep, posted a message on Facebook proclaiming his son's innocence: 'At this time the family is supporting Amir. Amir is an inspiring father, son, and man. We fully stand behind him during this situation. Please continue to pray for Amir and all involved in this situation. #NOTGUILTY'
Riep (No 10) and Wint (no 23) both were rising seniors at Ohio State. On Wednesday, they were kicked off the team after the allegations against them came to light
Riep and Wint both were rising seniors and expected to compete for playing time in Ohio State's defensive backfield.
In dismissing the players from the team, Day said in a statement that 'it is clear they did not live up to our standards and my expectations.'
The program has mostly avoided major off-the-field trouble as Day begins his second year at the helm. Last season, All-American defensive end Chase Young was suspended for two games after it came to light that he had accepted a personal loan in violation of NCAA rules.
Riep, a six-foot-one, 185-pound cornerback from Cincinnati, has appeared in 37 games for the Buckeyes, while Wint, a six-foot, 198-pound redshirt senior safety from Brooklyn, has made 35 appearances.
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