A jury in Clackamas County, Oregon has found former NBA player Ben McLemore guilty of raping a woman in 2021 while he was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. The verdict came after an 11-day trial and 10 hours of deliberation.
McLemore, 32, is charged with one count of first-degree rape, one count of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse. He had pleaded not guilty to all four counts. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 9.
The charges stem from a report of sexual assault in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on October 3, 2021. Police began investigating and McLemore was identified as a suspect. A grand jury issued an indictment against him in February 2024, and U.S. Marshals arrested him two months later.
Prosecutors argued that the victim had regained partial consciousness around 2 a.m. after being drunk, and then suffered assault at the hands of McLemore. However, McLemore’s attorneys claimed the woman consented to sex even though both were intoxicated.
McLemore played for nine NBA teams across nine seasons before leaving the league in 2022. He currently plays overseas in China, Greece, and Spain. The guilty verdict is a significant case demonstrating that individuals with celebrity status can face prosecution.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45660822/jury-finds-ex-nba-guard-ben-mclemore-guilty-rape