The University of Oklahoma student and running back Rodney Anderson will not face charges after a woman said that she was raped by him.
On Monday (Dec 18), Cleveland County District Attorney, Greg Mashburn, announced today that the VPO against Anderson is officially dropped after announcing last week that Anderson will not face any charges after authorities were unable to find evidence that Anderson raped accuser Courtney Thornton had been involved with Anderson after her friends came forward in defense of the football player stating that Thorton was pursuing Anderson in hopes to have a relationship.
Prosecutors explained Thornton never told Anderson no after they had engaged in consensual sexual activity and she had called a friend while in the bathroom to tell the friend she was excited Anderson was at her place.
Despite knowing that the act was consensual, Thorton went to the police station and filed a protective order on Dec. 4 alleging the football star sexually assaulted her. Investigators say her story changed a couple of days later when she recalled having consensual sex with Anderson before exchanging phone numbers. Thorton also gave police friendly text messages exchanged with Anderson in the days following and friends also divulged that Thornton was thinking about future aspirations in the context of what happened with Anderson stating, “this would be a ‘great thing’ for her political career following the Air Force.”Adding that “female-empowered political organizations would love something like this.”
Thorton who issued a statement regarding the incident states that she lost faith in the justice system following the lack of charges against Anderson. She said Anderson had digitally penetrated her while they were in her bedroom and said she was unable to consent to what happened because of her level of intoxication.
Ultimately, Mashburn determined criminal charges were not warranted.
“There are cases where we just simply can’t prove something, so we will decline due to insufficient evidence. But I think in this case it was important for us to tell the whole story so that people understand the facts that were presented to us through Norman PD’s investigation,” Mashburn said.
Despite the mounting evidence that the story was fabricated by Thorton, Mashburn revealed that he also would not be pursuing charges against the accuser, stating that they cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she lied.
Anderson’s attorney, Derek Chance, has since responded, thanking the Norman Police Department and the DA’s office for a comprehensive investigation.
“Mr. Anderson and his family are very much looking forward to a final resolution so that they can put this matter behind them and Mr. Anderson can focus on his obligations as a student-athlete.”