Charges are likely to be forthcoming soon in the ongoing investigation into allegations of rape involving multiple members of the Furman University football team, multiple Upstate law enforcement sources tell this news outlet.
In fact, a formal announcement from the office of S.C. thirteenth circuit solicitor Walt Wilkins could be coming any day now, these sources tell us.
“The report is on his desk,” one source familiar with the situation told us, referring to an investigatory document that lays out the facts of the case for Wilkins and his fellow prosecutors to consider as they mull whether to file criminal charges.
This news outlet reported exclusively (here and here) on these allegations – which are said to have taken place on the campus of the private liberal arts school in Greenville, South Carolina last fall.
The allegations – which are being investigated by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) – stem from incidents said to have occurred on campus in the early morning hours of Sunday, October 6, 2019.
No arrests have been made that we know of in connection with the case, which SLED is investigating alongside the Furman police department per state law (§ 59-154-10).
Five days after our report ran, Conor Hughes of The Greenville News confirmed that Furman police “asked SLED to investigate an alleged October 6 sexual assault” on campus. Hughes also reported something our SLED sources never told us – that another investigation into additional on-campus sexual assault allegations was launched by the agency on December 4.
The incidents leading to the second investigation allegedly occurred between July 14, 2019 and September 2, 2019 – and it has been reported that “drugs and/ or alcohol may have been used to create a vulnerability,” according to a Furman email alert obtained by the News.
SLED spokesman Tommy Crosby told us he could not comment on the status of the Furman case, except to say “it is an active investigation.”
Sources in Wilkins’ office did not immediately respond to our inquiries regarding the case.
Students at Bob Jones University – a staunchly conservative evangelical school located in Greenville – have been “suspended” in connection with one of the SLED inquiries, but according to school spokesman Randy Page the suspended students “are not and have never been suspects in the case.”
It remains unclear exactly what this phraseology means …
This news outlet reached out to Page last month, but he told us he could not comment on a pending criminal matter.
This news outlet has criticized Furman and others involved in the investigation for a lack of disclosure – a position which itself has drawn criticism.
As we noted a month ago, our news outlet has heard “several horror stories related to this case,” however we will reserve judgment until we see the fruits of investigators’ labor – and any determinations made by Wilkins’ office in response to their findings.
Stay tuned …
UPDATE: Surprise twist coming in Furman rape case?
-FITSNews
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