Legal Roundup: A.J. Johnson, Michael Williams indicted on aggravated rape charges
Kimberly John is a writer for theScore. She is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Each week she takes a look at the legal landscape around college athletics.
A.J. Johnson, LB; Michael Williams, RS Jr., Tennessee: Former linebacker Johnson was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of aggravated rape, according to Chase Goodbread of NFL.com. Williams, currently suspended from the Volunteers, was also indicted on the same charges stemming from the same investigation.
The penalty for the class a felony of aggravated rape is 15-60 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $50,000. *Tenn. Code § 40-35-11(b)(1)
Carlton Ray Champion Jr., Texas College: Champion was charged on Feb. 9 with murder, first-degree felony.
The maximum punishment that first-degree felony murder carries is life in prison, or 99 years, and a fine of not more than $10,000. *Tex Pe. Code Ann. § 12.32(a)
Lloyd Tubman, Fr., DL, Kentucky: Tubman was not indicted on a first-degree rape charge and will face no other charges.
Roman Tatum, So., DB, Delaware: Tatum was charged with second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, criminal trespass and criminal mischief, according to a report by Delaware Online.
Assault in the second-degree is a class D felony that carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison. *Del. Code § 11-4205(b)(4)
Assault in the third-degree is a class A misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of a year incarceration and a fine of up to $2,300. *Del. Code § 11-4206(a)
The degree of criminal trespass and criminal mischief are unknown and depend on the details of the incident.
Shameik Blackshear, 2015 signee, DE, South Carolina: Blackshear, a four-star recruit according to ESPN, was arrested and charged with one count of petit larceny for a purse, safe and their contents valued at $1,390, according to a report by Greenville Online.
Based on the value of the goods involved, this charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 days imprisonment and a fine of no more than $1,000 *S.C. Code Ann. § 16-13-30(A)
Jerrance Howard, assistant coach, Kansas basketball: Howard plead guilty to a class B misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of cannabis in Peoria County, Ill., in Aug. 2014.
Howard received six months court supervision and was ordered to pay a $1,178.26 fine. Howard received a two-week suspension from Kansas on Feb. 12.
theScore does not make any judgments regarding the guilt or innocence of any individual mentioned.