Editor’s Note: This story includes mention of sexual assault. Resources are available here.
Former Indiana punt returner Connor Delp was charged with two counts of rape and separate charges for sexual battery and battery Monday following a report made in 2022.
IU Police Department said a woman reported on Nov. 13, 2022, that she had been raped around three days prior at Delp’s apartment, according to the probable cause affidavit.
According to interviews conducted by police with the alleged victims detailed in the affidavit, the first victim said she met Delp through a mutual friend. The night of Nov. 10, 2022, the victim said she visited Delp’s apartment with a friend — who is later described as the second victim in the report. After talking and drinking alcohol as a group, the two began playing video games in Delp’s bedroom.
The woman said after her friend fell asleep, Delp began to kiss and touch her forcefully, later taking her clothes off and his own. She said she shook her head “no” but couldn’t speak because she was afraid.
Later, the woman's friend awoke and shouted at Delp, who then stopped, according to the report.
The first victim said after they left the apartment the friend shared Delp had also tried to touch and kiss her but stopped after he was shoved off.
Delp's attorneys responded Tuesday to the reports with the following statement.
"Connor Delp has a constitutional right to be presumed innocent of the criminal charges that have been filed against him," attorneys at Voyles Vaiana Lukemeyer Baldwin & Webb said in the release. "There are always two sides to every story. Connor Delp intends to vigorously defend against these charges in the appropriate forum — the courtroom."
Delp was indefinitely suspended from Indiana’s football team on Nov. 17, 2022 — one week after the alleged assault — after appearing in 8 out of 10 games so far that season. No reason was given for his suspension at the time.
Delp was also withheld from activities with the team in November 2021.
