As this long nightmare for TJ draws to a close, I’d like to give a shout-out to IL42. IMO you have provided a broad array of valuable and well-reasoned posts to better understand the behind-the-scenes. There were many great inputs by others as well…I think a nice tribute to all posters collectively, as (even with mostly IANALs) this board correctly saw the outcome long before the trial…despite being a typically biased sports board. But IL42 typically brought clarity and education to complex issues…just what was needed in the fog of all the unknowns.
And in the end, I still find myself stunned and amazed by the strength and resilience of TJ himself, his mother, his family, etc. Through all of this they never once lashed out in anger. Never pointed fingers. Never complained. Always chin up and positive. Where and how did they find the strength? IMHO…that’s one hell of a young man.…gotta be one in a million to weather that kind of a storm with that much class!
Rootin’ for him in next weeks draft! And yes…RAFTERS!
Thank you for the shout-out!
Honestly, I thought he was innocent since the actual charges were revealed and the best way to prove that was to learn as much as I could about the case. And then from there, to educate others about what I was learning so they too could be convinced of his innocence. However, unlike members of the media, I shared whatever I found so others could form their own opinions.
Over these past 7-ish months I've read hundreds of pages of legal documents and news articles regarding this and the result of all of that (beyond the learning itself) is I have far more faith in Terrence Shannon Jr. as a person and far less faith in the legal system and the media than when I started. I keep going back to DyShawn Hobson's testimony that he provided all the way back in January. A sober graduate assistant effectively serving as a chaperone saw nothing, and when you combine that with what little evidence there was, for the D.A. to continue to pursue these charges is outrageous.
And then you compare it to the treatment that Arterio Morris received. One allegation, that matched Shannon's perfectly but with a witness actually seeing it occur, was not even pursued by the D.A. and then the D.A. went on to dismiss the rape charge against him due to lack of evidence. I do not understand what made Shannon's case a better pursuit than Morris'.
I am proud that the vast majority of Illini fans stood with Terrence Shannon Jr. We were told "let things play out in court" while opposing fanbases hurled terrible insults at him and media members wanted him treated as Guilty. We could have sat silently, we could have refused to cheer, but we didn't. This is apparently controversial, and thankfully did not end up applying to Shannon, but I would not hold it against anybody for cheering for someone ultimately found Guilty, because until that verdict is read, they deserve their presumption of innocence, and if we as fans are supposed to let things play out in court, then we should be able to cheer until that day. Allegation is not conviction.