PROVO – The quarter -back leaving byu Jake Retzlaff was accused of having sexually assaulted a woman at her home in 2023, according to a civil trial filed on Wednesday.
The woman said that she and her friend “went to Retzlaff’s apartment to spend time and play video games. Before the end of the night, Retzlaff violated, strangled and bitten (the woman)”, according to the civil trial filed with the 3rd district court.
On Wednesday, no criminal accusation had been filed against Retzlaff.
Retzlaff lawyer Mark Baute published a statement on Wednesday in response to the trial indicating that his client’s innocence would be established.
“I met him, and he is a nice young man. He is also in fact innocent, and we are impatient to prove that innocence. Jake will focus this year on football. We do not try cases in the media. We will respect the process and establish Jake’s innocence through the legal system,” said Baute.
Byu also published a statement on Wednesday afternoon.
“Byu has realized today that a civil trial involving Jake Retzlaff had been filed this morning. The university takes any very seriously allegation, following all the processes and directives mandated by title IX. Due to federal and university laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comments,” said officials of the BYU.
The incident would have taken place on November 22, 2023, when the woman and a friend went to the Retzlaff residence in the county of Utah. Retzlaff met the woman a month earlier on social networks.
After the woman’s friend’s departure, she and Retzlaff started watching a film. During the film, Retzlaff began to kiss the woman, who said that she didn’t want to do anything more, according to the trial.
However, the costume maintains that Retzlaff continued to “degenerate” the situation by inappropriately touching it.
“Retzlaff’s touch then turned into a strong pinch, and (the woman) pushed her hand down. At this point, he caused her pain. Despite this, Retzlaff continued to degenerate the situation. (The woman) wanted to leave, but was afraid and had the impression of not being able to run away”, according to the trial.
The woman claims that her reaction made Retzlaff angry and that he “started to shout her, and she reached her phone to call someone, but her phone was dead,” said the costume. “The fear that Retzlaff would start to scream or take her phone back, she moved to the side of the bed, branted her phone and lengthened there, while waiting for him to take her friend.”
After the woman heard Retzlaff snoring, she thought she could run away. But when she started moving, the trial says that Retzlaff woke up and pushed it back to the bed and again touched it inappropriately.
“It was so much stronger, heavier and larger than (she) that she felt trapped and frightened and had trouble breathing,” according to the trial.
At one point, while strengthening the woman with force, Retzlaff bit her lip and left a cut, alleged the trial, adding that he “then put his hands around his neck” and assaulted her sexually.
The woman, from the county of Salt Lake, declares in her trial that she went to the local hospital where a rape kit exam was carried out several days after the alleged attack. She says that she was also contacted by the Police of Provo, but at that time, she was not ready to give them the name of Retzlaff.
“She was afraid and in shock and not ready to face her,” said the trial.
Later, however, an officer again contacted the woman after “someone else has filed a complaint against a football player and the police wanted to see if it was the same person,” said the trial. “At this stage, (she) shared the name of Retzlaff, and the Police of Provo then encouraged him to do nothing because, as they claimed,” the victims of sexual assault never have justice “.”
The Polusual Police, however, denied the commentary in a statement published Wednesday evening, saying: “Of everything we examined is not true”, addressing the alleged commentary on victims of sexual assault.
The ministry said that he was informed of the civil prosecution on Wednesday but did not receive a legal deposit linked to the case. The police archives indicated that a report by phone was made on November 27, 2023 of a woman with the same initials as the woman who has filed the trial, the ministry said.
“It was treated with courtesy and care,” said the declaration of the corresponding report. “The complainant in this case had several opportunities to identify her attacker. She refused to do so, just like her right, and the case was then closed.”
The police said that the evidence collected from the complaint had been examined and revealed “without imprints of processing process”. The defenders of the victims of the ministry followed “several times to offer services” but received no response, added the press release.
“We have a team of dedicated investigators and defenders of victims whose mission alone is to do justice to the victims of sexual abuse,” said the ministry. “They do not refer people, warning them that there is no justice for the victims. Our special surveys of the unity of the victims regularly lead to criminal responsibility for offenders.”
Provo police added that they hoped that the woman “chooses to make a statement to continue the criminal investigation if you wish”.
The trial accuses Retzleff of battery, aggression and emotional distress and declares that the woman “continues to feel an extreme post-traumatic stress disorder and other symptoms of trauma.
“As a direct and direct result of the illegal driving of Retzlaff, (the woman) underwent emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, mental distress, anxiety and other damage to an amount to prove at the trial, but which are greater than $ 300,000 each,” said the trial.
Retzlaff signed with Byu in January 2023 after two junior university football seasons in California. After having played in four games while Redshirting later that year, the senior and the first Jewish quarter in school history reached national importance by leading the cougars to a season 11-2 last fall, launching 2,947 yards and 20 affected, and by operating for 417 yards and six scores en route n ° 13.
Contributory: Sean Walker, KSL.com