Through a statement through his attorney Saturday night, former IU running back Morgan Ellison said he is innocent of the sexual assault allegations that led to his dismissal from the university and the football program and claims the university mishandled the case.
Ellison received a two and a half year suspension from an Indiana University sexual misconduct panel on Oct. 19 following the panel's determination that he sexually assaulted an IU student while she was asleep, and then forcefully continued when she woke up. Ellison denied using force to the panel and said the sexual activities were consensual, according to the Indianapolis Star.
Ellison, who published the statement via his personal Twitter account, claimed he was falsely accused. He also said IU "rushed through the process" and that the panel "made fundamental errors" in determining him responsible for the sexual assault. He cites a "pivotal text message" sent by the complaintant that he said shows she consented.
The Pickerington, Ohio native reportedly attempted to appeal the decision, and the announcement from the athletic department on Oct. 19 indicated the appeal was unsuccessful. He has not been criminally charged.
"What I most want to do now is get back to who I was before this Kafkaesque nightmare began: a man of character and integrity, attending college and working to be the best student athlete I can be," Ellison said.
Ellison also said in the statement that he and his attorney "will pursue every avenue we can to show my innocence."
Ellison's full statement can be seen below.
----
• Talk about it inside The Hoops Forum or The Football Forum
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Follow us on Twitter: @IndianaRivals
• Like us on Facebook.
