Witness testimony continues in Kansas during Terrence Shannon Jr. trial

LAWRENCE, Kan. (WAND) — The remaining witnesses will take the stand today as the Terrence Shannon Jr. trial continues.

The former Illini basketball star was charged with rape in Kansas last December. His accuser said that he assaulted her in a bar after a football game in Lawrence on Sept. 8, 2023.

The trial began Monday with a jury selection, and on Tuesday, the court heard from the victim and three other witnesses called by the prosecution: an officer with the Lawrence Police Department, a sexual assault nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, and a detective with the Lawrence Police Department.

During the court's first session of the day, Wednesday morning, Prosecutors called their fifth witness, the victim's best friend, to the stand. She claimed the bar was "very, very busy" the night of Sept. 8. She also shared that she was not next to her friend when the victim first allegedly made contact with Shannon and that a couple of people were standing between them.

While being cross-examined, the witness said she told police the victim told her a "cute black boy" had waived her over. She went on to say that Shannon was looking at her even though the victim was next to him and another girl was grinding on him.

When asked why she hadn't shared or posted anything about the incident to social media, the witness said she was instructed not to by Detective Leitner in hopes that it would get Shannon to talk to him instead of a lawyer.

The Defense then called their first witness to the stand, Kansas Basketball player Hunter Dickinson.

Dickinson shared that he first met Shannon when he played for Michigan when Shannon visited on a recruiting trip. He said he drove with Shannon to the bar on Sept. 8, 2023, and stated he did not recall Shannon interacting with any women that night.

During Dickinson's cross-examination, prosecutors asked if he had been drinking that evening, to which Dickinson confessed he had a "fair amount" to drink.

After a brief recess, prosecutors returned to the courtroom and called their final witness to the stand, Jennifer Hewitt a forensic scientist with the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.

Hewitt was in charge of performing the DNA analysis from the victim's rape kit and the Shannon cheek swab. Hewitt reiterated that there was no male DNA found on the vaginal swab, and there was not enough male DNA found on the buttocks, thigh, or underwear swabs either.

Due to these finding no further amplification analysis was conducted.

During Hewitt's cross-examination, the defense noted that it was Hewitt's decision as to what tests were run and her responsibility to communicate with law enforcement to determine which tests were necessary.

The defense also made the point that all male DNA was below KBI's threshold for amplification.

The prosecution rested their case. The court took a break and resumed at 1:30 p.m.

During the afternoon, the defense called three more witnesses: Stephanie Beine, a private forensic scientist, a graduate assistant for UI basketball, and former Kansas basketball player Kevin McCullar Jr.