An Oregon jury found former Houston Rockets guard Ben McLemore guilty on Thursday of raping a woman in while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021.
Deliberations lasting around 10 hours after an 11-day trial concluded with the jury in Clackamas County finding McLemore, 32, guilty on one charge of first-degree råpe, one charge of first-degree unlãwful sēxûal pēnëtration and one count of second-degree sēxûal abûse. He was found not gûilty on an additional count of second-degree sēxûal abûse.
McLemore pleaded not guilty to all four counts before the vērdict. His sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 9.
The charges stem from a report of sēxûal aṣṣault in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on Oct. 3, 2021. McLemore was identified as a suspect during a police investigation.
A Clackamas County grand jury heard evidence in the case in February 2024, which included testimony from the woman who said McLemore asṣaulted her. He was indiçted and an arreṣt warrant was issued, according to Lake Oswego police. McLemore was arrēsted by U.S. Marshalls two months later.
Clackamas County prõsecutor Scott Healy reportedly told jurors the victim found herself being sēxually asṣaulted by McLemore while partially conscious the morning after a party.
Healy said that the victim had been drinking heavily at the party and had passed out on a living room couch at the party around 2 a.m.
McLemore’s attorneys reportedly dïsputed the victim’s account, claiming she had initiated sēxûal contact with McLemore and had consented to it. They also claimed that despite the victim and McLemore both being intoxicated, the victim was sober enough to consent.
McLemore played parts of two seasons with the Rockets from 2019-2021. He was the seventh pick in the 2013 draft out of Kansas and played for five teams across nine NBA seasons. After playing the 2021-2022 season with the Trail Blazers, McLemore went overseas to continue his playing career. He has played for teams in China, Greece, Spain and Turkey over the last three years.
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