Latest news with #BenMcLemore
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Former NBA player Ben McLemore found guilty of rape, sexual assault at 2021 party
Former NBA player Ben McLemore was found guilty on July 3 of raping and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman at a party in 2021, a verdict announced by Clackamas County in Oregon. McLemore was convicted by a jury of Rape in the First Degree, Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree and Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. He will be sentenced on July 9. The incident happened at a party on Oct. 3, 2021, when McLemore was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers (his last stop in his nine-year NBA career). The victim had been drinking heavily and was "hammered unconscious drunk" that night, prosecutor Scott Healy told jurors. It was the most she had ever drank and she had vomited earlier in the evening, had difficulty walking and had slurred speech, Healy said. The victim passed out on a large living room couch around 2 a.m., and at some point, McLemore started sleeping on the same couch. While the victim was "fading in and out" of consciousness, frightened and traumatized, McLemore began having sexual intercourse with her and sexually assaulted her. Realizing what had happened, later that day the victim sought a specialized medical examination for victims of sexual assault. "(McLemore) needs to be held accountable for what he did. You can't do that to somebody, let alone somebody that you don't know either. You don't do that to people and just be able to get away with it. I don't care who you are," the victim said during her trial testimony. McLemore's attorneys had argued that the victim had initiated the sexual contact and that this was consensual. The jury disagreed. "We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender's community status," said District Attorney John Wentworth. A star at Kansas in college, McLemore was the No. 7 pick of the Sacramento Kings in 2013 and played nine NBA seasons, the first four in Sacramento, then for the Grizzlies, Rockets and Lakers before joining the Timberwolves. He had been playing in Spain starting in the fall of 2022 and was arrested in 2024 by U.S. Marshals upon his return to the United States.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Ex-Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLemore convicted in 2021 rape case
Former Portland Blazers star Ben McLemore was found guilty of rape and other charges relating to a 2021 assault. The assault took place at his then-Portland Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington's residence in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Ben McLemore was convicted in a sexual assault case(X) According to KGW, the news outlet based in Portland, a jury from Clackamas County delivered its verdict on Thursday morning. The jurors found McLemore, 32, guilty of three of the four charges leveled against him. He was, as per KGW, convicted of rape in the first degree, unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree, and one count of sexual abuse in the second degree. The jury, however, acquitted him on the second count of sexual abuse. Survivor testified she was incapacitated by alcohol During the two-and-a-half-week trial, the prosecutors, according to another Bleacher Report, alleged that McLemore raped a 21-year-old woman who was too intoxicated to consent. The survivor reportedly testified that she had been heavily drinking and could not consent at the time of the incident. Reportedly, prosecutor Scott Healy, during closing arguments, said the assessment of circumstances and evidence proved the point guard was guilty. McLemore, his attorney claim act was consensual Meanwhile, McLemore and his defense attorney Lisa Maxfield claimed the encounter was a consensual act between two intoxicated adults. The sportsperson admitted to consuming alcohol and insisted the woman had consented. He further said that there was no communication between the two before, during, or after the act and that he left the residence immediately afterwards, according to reports. His attorney, Maxfield, said the sexual encounter was misinterpreted and reportedly told jurors that the outcome in a case where two intoxicated people get physically intimate, and where the man is more inebriated, was not guilty. As per a Times of India report, while the assault happened at Covington's home, he did not testify during the trial. However, testimonies of two other former Trail Blazers were heard. The quantum of the sentence will be announced next week, the report added. Who is Ben McLemore? McLemore made quite a splash as a first-round NBA draft pick in 2013 after showcasing his skills at the University of Kansas. Over the years, he has played for several teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. He last appeared during the 2021–22 season of the NBA. He has reportedly since played professionally in Europe, China and Türkiye. FAQs Q: What was Ben McLemore found guilty of? A: He was found guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse. Q: When did the incident occur? A: The assault took place in October 2021 at a house party hosted at the home of Robert Covington in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Q: Was this during McLemore's NBA career? A: Yes, McLemore played for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021–2022 NBA season. Q: What was the defense's argument? A: The defense claimed the sexual encounter was consensual and argued McLemore was more intoxicated than the woman. Q: What happens next for McLemore? A: He awaits sentencing, though no date has been publicly announced yet.
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Ex-NBA player Ben McLemore found guilty of rape by Oregon jury
Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been found guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman during a lake house party attended by many of his then-teammates from the Portland Trail Blazers, a jury ruled Thursday. The jury in Clackamas County, located directly south of Portland, found McLemore, 32, guilty of rape, unlawful sexual penetration and one count of sexual abuse. He was found not guilty on another count of sexual abuse, Portland television station KGW reported. Sentencing was scheduled for Wednesday. "We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender's community status," District Attorney John Wentworth said in a statement. Former Portland Trail Blazer Ben McLremore, who was convicted July 3, 2025, of raping a woman, is pictured in a courtroom in Oregon City, Oregon, on June 17, 2025. Beth Nakamura, Oregonian via AP The charges stemmed from a party on Oct. 3, 2021, at the Lake Oswego home owned by his Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington. Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the sexual encounter was rape, while McLemore's attorney countered it was consensual sex. The woman said she was incapacitated after a night of heavy drinking and was unable to give consent. Prosecutors submitted photos of the woman hovering over a toilet and then passed out on a couch, The Oregonian/Oregon Live earlier reported. She said she woke up at one point during the rape and froze in terror. "I don't know who this person is," she testified. "This is a random person that is doing something like this to me." The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sexual assault. At one point, she said she let her body slide to the floor in an effort to stop the assault. The woman testified McLemore pulled her back onto the couch and continued. Covington earlier testified he saw the woman flirting with McLemore while they sat on a couch. McLemore testified he was also drinking but claimed the sex was consensual. He also said he and the woman did not have a conversation before, during or after the act, after which he immediately left the home. One of his attorneys, Kris Winemiller, said McLemore left after receiving an angry message from this then-wife, who tracked him and wanted to know why he wasn't in their own Lake Oswego home. Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy said there was no confusion. "When you look at all the surrounding circumstances and you assess the evidence in this case, I submit to you that the defendant is guilty," he said during closing arguments Tuesday. Another defense attorney, Lisa Maxfield, argued for McLemore's acquittal. "The only reasonable verdict in a case where two people get drunk and have sex and the man is drunker than the woman, the only reasonable verdict in a case like that is not guilty," she said. The woman said she did not hire an attorney to sue McLemore and didn't seek money from him. Instead she pursued the criminal case because "you can't do that to somebody, let alone somebody that you don't know." McLemore, who played college at Kansas, was the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He also played for Memphis, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers before his last NBA season with Portland in 2021-2022. Since then, he has played in Europe and China. Last August he signed with a team in Turkey.
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Economic Times
Ben McLemore, Ex-NBA player, found guilty in 2021 rape case
Former Portland Trail Blazer player Ben McLremore is pictured in a courtroom in Oregon City. (Beth Nakamura, Oregonian via AP) Synopsis Former NBA player Ben McLemore was found guilty in Oregon of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and second-degree sexual abuse, stemming from an incident in October 2021. Following an 11-day trial, the jury reached a verdict after 10 hours of deliberation. McLemore, a former lottery pick who played for multiple NBA teams, faces sentencing next Wednesday. Former NBA guard Ben McLemore was convicted on Thursday, after an 11-day trial and 10 hours of jury deliberation, in Oregon for a 2021 rape case. A Clackamas County jury found McLemore guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and second-degree sexual abuse. ADVERTISEMENT He was acquitted of a second charge of second-degree sexual abuse. Sentencing is scheduled for next Wednesday. The incident dates back to October 3, 2021, in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Following the investigation, a grand jury indicted McLemore in February 2024, leading to his arrest by US Marshals in April. "We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution," Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth said in a statement. "Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender's community status."McLemore, 32, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. He played for several teams - including the Grizzlies, Rockets, Lakers, and Trail Blazers - before continuing his career overseas. Over 556 NBA games, he averaged 9.0 points and 2.3 rebounds. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Ben McLemore2021 rape caseClackamas County juryNBA Draft 2013us marshals (Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates. Ben McLemore, Ex-NBA player, found guilty in 2021 rape case Ben McLemore, Ex-NBA player, found guilty in 2021 rape case Congress approves sweeping student loan changes in 'Big Beautiful Bill': What it means for borrowers Congress approves sweeping student loan changes in 'Big Beautiful Bill': What it means for borrowers Trump Mount Rushmore Proposal: Will President's face get added to monument? See if it is a possibility or not Trump Mount Rushmore Proposal: Will President's face get added to monument? See if it is a possibility or not RFK Jr.'s alarming claims on sperm counts and male fertility spark debate—experts urge caution RFK Jr.'s alarming claims on sperm counts and male fertility spark debate—experts urge caution Tour de France 2025: Start, end date, schedule, how to watch live online, TV with, without cable in US, UK Tour de France 2025: Start, end date, schedule, how to watch live online, TV with, without cable in US, UK What's open and closed this Independence Day—from Costco to CVS What's open and closed this Independence Day—from Costco to CVS Eat watermelon daily? Here's what it really does to your body Eat watermelon daily? Here's what it really does to your body Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' set to transform your taxes: Here's how Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' set to transform your taxes: Here's how Should your dog sleep in your bed? Trainers weigh in on the pros, cons and surprising truth Should your dog sleep in your bed? Trainers weigh in on the pros, cons and surprising truth Water alone won't cut it, experts share smart tips to stay truly hydrated all day NEXT STORY
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
Former NBA guard Ben McLemore convicted of rape, sexual assault stemming from party in 2021
Former NBA guard Ben McLemore was found guilty Thursday of raping and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman after a lake house party in 2021 while he was playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. McLemore, 32, was convicted of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and second degree sexual abuse by a jury in Clackamas County, Oregon, according to a Clackamas County press release. Advertisement 'We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution,' District Attorney John Wentworth said via a statement. 'Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender's community status.' McLemore will be sentenced July 9. The sexual assault occurred Oct. 3, 2021, after a party at then-teammate Robert Covington's house in Lake Oswego. The victim had been drinking heavily and was 'hammered unconscious drunk' that night, prosecutor Scott Healy told jurors. It was the most alcohol the woman ever had to drink in her life and the most intoxicated she had ever been, Healy said. The victim vomited earlier that evening, and witnesses said she had difficulty walking, slurred speech and could barely lift her head, Healy said. The victim passed out on a large living room couch around 2 a.m. Later, McLemore began sleeping on the same couch. At around 6 a.m., the victim regained partial consciousness when McLemore sexually penetrated her with his fingers, then began having sexual intercourse with her. The victim was 'fading in and out' of consciousness, frightened and traumatized, Healy said. Later that day, she sought a specialized medical examination for victims of sexual assault. '(The defendant) needs to be held accountable for what he did,' the victim said during her trial testimony. 'You can't do that to somebody, let alone somebody that you don't know either. You don't do that to people and just be able to get away with it. I don't care who you are.' McLemore's attorneys, Lisa Maxfield and Kris Winemiller of Pacific Northwest Law, LLP, couldn't be reached for comment by The Athletic at the time of publication. McLemore's attorneys disputed the victim's account of events, claiming she initiated sexual contact and consented to it. His attorneys asserted that although the victim and McLemore were intoxicated at the time of the encounter, the victim was sober enough to consent. The seventh pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, McLemore played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers before his last season with the Trail Blazers in 2021-22.
