Baylor Allegedly Took 2 Years to Look into Sexual Assault Claim Against Players

Baylor University reportedly didn't investigate sexual assault claims against two football players for more than two years.  

According to Paula Lavigne of ESPN's Outside the Lines, despite being required under federal law to immediately investigate any allegation of sexual violence, Baylor waited over two years to look into claims made against former tight end Tre'Von Armstead and former practice squad player Myke Chatman. 

Included in Lavigne's report is the police report written by the Waco Police Department from April 20, 2013, in which the officers stated they notified university officials about "an off-campus incident" involving Armstead and Chatman. The university didn’t begin an investigation until September 2015.

Lavigne's report also noted the alleged victim in the case "told Waco police she was too drunk to remember exactly what occurred that night and that she didn't wish to pursue charges against the players, given her state of mind."

As a result of the alleged victim's statement, Armstead and Chatman were not charged in the case. Armstead was dismissed from the Baylor program in September 2015, with head coach Art Briles saying the decision was made for an unspecified violation of team rules, per the Associated Press (via USA Today). 

Per Lavigne's report, the Waco police investigation into the allegations against Armstead and Chatman was suspended in May 2013 without either player being interviewed, and no school officials contacted the alleged victim in the case. 

This is not the first time Baylor has been in the news for problems involving alleged sexual assault. In August, former defensive end Sam Ukwuachu, who transferred to the program from Boise State, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a female student and former Baylor soccer player. 

In September, the university hired the Pepper Hamilton law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the school's handling of its investigation into rape allegations made against Ukwuachu.