The U.S. Central District Court of Illinois has approved the motion for a temporary restraining order filed by University of Illinois men’s basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. This decision enables the guard, who was suspended for three weeks, to return to the team.
The information was shared by Jeff Goodman of The Messenger, who relayed the news from Shannon’s legal team on Friday. The suspension was imposed on December 28 after the Douglas County (Kansas) district attorney’s office issued a warrant for Shannon’s arrest in connection with an alleged sexual assault.
On January 8, Shannon filed a motion for a temporary restraining order seeking immediate reinstatement, arguing that the school had failed to provide him with due process, with the trial scheduled for June. President Timothy Killeen and the school’s board of trustees were named as defendants.
The Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) lawsuit questioned the presumption of innocence, stating that while Illinois promised to adhere to this presumption, it did not apply it in practice by suspending Shannon, impacting his career as if he were already convicted. Shannon maintained his innocence, expressing his dismay at being associated with such a crime.
Judge Colleen Lawless ruled in favor of Shannon, citing that the plaintiff had no adequate remedy at law and would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction. The potential harm to Shannon was deemed to outweigh any harm to the University.
Following the court’s decision, Shannon released a statement expressing gratitude for the opportunity to rejoin his teammates and resume work. The University of Illinois, represented by spokeswoman Robin Kaler, acknowledged the court order, stating that Shannon has been reinstated as a University student-athlete and is available for basketball activities.
Shannon had been suspended after being arrested and charged with rape in Lawrence, Kansas, while attending a football game between Illinois and Kansas on September 8. The alleged incident occurred on September 9, with a police affidavit stating that Shannon digitally penetrated a woman at a bar without her consent.
Attorney Mark P. Sutter, representing Shannon, asserted his client’s innocence and intentions to take the case to trial. A preliminary hearing in the criminal case against Shannon is scheduled for February 23.
Shannon, a fifth-year senior, transferred to Illinois in 2022 after playing three seasons at Texas Tech. He is eligible to rejoin No. 14 Illinois as soon as Sunday when the team hosts Rutgers.
