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Michigan State Dismisses Ex-Football Players Accused of Sexual Assault

Three former Michigan State football players accused of sexually assaulting a woman earlier this year have been dismissed from the university.
Image: Former Michigan State football player Demetric Vance
Former Michigan State football player Demetric Vance and his attorney, Mary Chartier, appear in court June 6 in East Lansing, Michigan.Mike Mulholland / AP
/ Source: The Associated Press

EAST LANSING, Michigan — Three former Michigan State University football players accused of sexually assaulting a woman earlier this year have been dismissed from the university.

School spokesman Jason Cody said Thursday that Josh King, Donnie Corley Jr. and Demetric Vance were dismissed for violating the school's relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy. The three were dismissed from the team last month after criminal charges were made public.

King was charged with first- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct and with distributing an image of an unclothed person. Vance and Corley face third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.

The university also conducted a Title IX investigation. Attorney Shannon Smith, who represents King, described that investigation as a rush to judgment.

Related: Three Michigan State University Football Players Charged With Sexual Assault

"After Josh was dismissed, my office received all of the discovery from the investigation by law enforcement which was over 4,000 pages and more than 10 disks full of interviews. That material was not considered by the investigator for the Title IX investigation," Smith said in a text message.

"Now that my office has had time to review the material, which contains very inconsistent stories by the complainant, I believe the university would have reached a different conclusion had they not rushed to judgment and completed a fair investigation," Smith said.

She said the school's "Title IX process needs to change"

"Decisions are made on a rushed basis and after incomplete investigations," Smith said.

Messages were also left with lawyers for Corley and Vance.