BYU QB Retzlaff denies woman's rape allegations

A lawyer representing BYU backmost Jake Retzlaff denied allegations successful a suit that his lawsuit raped, strangled and spot a pistillate successful 2023.

In a effect to the suit successful the Third Judicial District Court successful Utah filed Friday, Retzlaff's lawyer wrote: "Mr. Retzlaff specifically and categorically denies each and each and each allegations that helium bit, raped oregon strangled [the woman], which are ridiculous and bizarre allegations, each of which are mendacious and untrue."

The effect states that Retzlaff and the woman, identified successful the suit filed successful May arsenic Jane Doe A.G., had consensual enactment astatine Retzlaff's flat successful November 2023 and that they had lighthearted substance messages exchanges into February 2024. It besides characterizes the suit arsenic an extortion effort based connected the thought that Retzlaff developed into an NFL imaginable astir a twelvemonth aft their encounter.

The archetypal ailment and the effect hold that Retzlaff and the pistillate connected done societal media, which led to her visiting Retzlaff's flat to play video games connected oregon astir Nov. 22, 2023. The pistillate arrived with a friend, and determination were friends and teammates of Retzlaff besides present, according to the lawsuit.

Later that evening, the woman's person left, aft which Retzlaff and the pistillate started watching a movie, the suit states.

"At immoderate constituent they began to kiss, but Jane Doe A.G. did not privation to bash thing more," the suit states. "Retzlaff began escalating the concern ... and Jane Doe A.G. tried to de-escalate the concern and attempted to dilatory things down, trying to propulsion away, and saying 'wait.' She did not privation to bash thing intersexual with him."

The suit says that the pistillate told Retzlaff "no" and "wait, stop," but that helium continued to unit himself connected her. After she tried to get up retired of the bed, the suit alleges that Retzlaff enactment his hands astir her cervix and proceeded to rape her.

"It wounded truthful atrocious and caused truthful overmuch symptom that Jane Doe A.G. passed out," the suit states. "Jane Doe A.G. remembers tears rolling down her look arsenic she fought to breathe."

A fewer days later, the pistillate visited the hospital, wherever a rape kit was performed and pictures of her injuries were taken. The suit says she was connected with Provo constabulary but did not initially supply Retzlaff's name.

After the suit was filed, BYU issued the pursuing statement:

"The assemblage takes immoderate allegation precise seriously, pursuing each processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX. Due to national and assemblage privateness laws and practices for students, the assemblage volition not beryllium capable to supply further comment."

Separate from the allegations of rape, an admittance of consensual premarital enactment constitutes a usurpation of BYU's grant code. According to the schoolhouse website, punishment for grant codification violations tin scope from a informing to expulsion. A circumstantial punishment for premarital enactment is not stipulated, but determination person been instances of high-profile athletes being suspended for having premarital enactment successful the past.

In 2011, hoops subordinate Brandon Davies was dismissed from the squad -- which astatine the clip was 27-2 and ranked No. 3 successful the state -- and suspended from school. He was reinstated that fall.

In 1999, moving backmost Reno Mahe was suspended from schoolhouse and forced to permission the shot team. He transferred to a inferior assemblage and aboriginal reenrolled astatine BYU.