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On Thursday, Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus and his attorneys arrived in Dane County court after he was charged earlier this week with second- and third-degree sexual assault stemming from an April 22 incident.
According to those reporters in attendance, Cephus’s legal team during and after the hearing presented their case in stating the wide receiver is innocent. From The Athletic’s Jesse Temple:
Kathleen Stilling, who is one of Quintez Cephus' attorneys, spoke after his initial hearing: "Quintez is innocent. There were three people in that bedroom that night, and all three of them know the truth. And we want all the facts to come out to establish the truth."
— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) August 23, 2018
As WOZN’s Zach Heilprin noted the following in his report:
The defense filed two motions prior to the hearing. One was to make sure prosecutors maintained certain pieces of evidence, including digital communications and surveillance video that they believe will show Cephus is innocent. That motion was granted by the court commissioner.
They also made a motion to dismiss the second-degree charge based on evidence not included in the criminal complaint.
“We are challenging some of the key facts in the criminal complaint because of evidence we have and that the state has,” Stilling said of the motion. “This evidence establishes Quintez’s innocence.”
WOZN posted the full motion, what they referred to as a Franks/Manns violation, can be read here. The Wisconsin State Journal’s Ed Treleven summarized the motion and ended with this:
The motion criticizes prosecutors for leaving some text messages and the video out of the criminal complaint, calling it “more than a material omission” but also “a material misstatement of fact given the extreme intoxication alleged in the complaint in this case.”
Because of that, they said, the complaint lacks probable cause to back up the second-degree sexual assault charge and the charge should be dismissed.
District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said he is aware the motion was filed but has not yet seen it.
According to multiple reports, Cephus was released on a $5,000 signature bond and a preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 6.
Cephus’s high school head coach, along with former Wisconsin cornerback Derrick Tindal, were both reportedly in attendance. Heilprin reported “at least 15 supporters in the gallery” for the Wisconsin wide receiver.
A large number of people came in support of Cephus, including his high school coach Jamie Dickey and former #Badgers CB Derrick Tindal.
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) August 23, 2018
Former #Badgers DB Derrick Tindal here for Quintez Cepheus’ hearing.
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) August 23, 2018
Heilprin also tweeted that Dickey also spoke with reporters:
Quintez Cephus’ high school coach Jamie Dickey:
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) August 23, 2018
“I’m confident he will be exonerated and he’ll be owed an apology by the time this is all said and done.”