Oklahoma linebacker Frank Shannon missed practice Thursday and did not play in the team’s spring game Saturday for “personal reasons,” and now we know why: he’s been accused of sexual assault.
Shannon, who led the Sooners with 92 tackles as a sophomore last season, is accused of trying to force a woman to have sex with him at his apartment on Jan. 20, The Oklahoman reports. Shannon denies that is the case and believes the woman either intended to set him up or filed the report as revenge for him not sleeping with her.
According to the complaint which was obtained by The Oklahoman, Shannon offered a woman a ride home after a party, but they stopped off at his apartment first. She alleges that inside his bedroom, he came up to her from behind, pulled down her pants and attempted to have sex with her. She claims he became frustrated when she wouldn’t have sex with him. Shannon supposedly went to the bathroom after asking if the woman was menstruating and she said yes. That’s when she left and met a friend outside, whom she texted to come get her. The friend called police.
Shannon told the police a different story.
Shannon told police that the woman got on top of him, kissed him and removed her clothes. Shannon says he asked if the woman was menstruating and that they argued about it. He says he left to the bathroom after.
Shannon told police that the woman either was setting him up for the rape charge or is getting revenge because she was embarrassed that he wouldn’t have sex with her.
The woman allegedly told her friend over text message that she was raped. The friend allegedly texted back an apology for calling police, saying she only wanted to protect the friend.
Once again, this is another case of whom do you believe? For now, Oklahoma appears to be taking the proper approach by not having Shannon participate in practice or games while the incident is being investigated.
