Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint at their arraignment hearing on Feb. 13. Credit: Cori Wade | Assistant Photo Editor
Two former Ohio State football players accused of raping a 19-year-old woman in 2020 both testified Wednesday the sexual relations were consensual in the second day of trial.
Amir Riep and Jahsen Wint, both 24, are both on trial in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, each charged with two counts of rape and one count of kidnapping in an incident Feb. 4, 2020. The woman testified Tuesday that the two men raped her in Wint’s off-campus apartment before recording two videos in which she was forced to say the sex was consensual and did so in order to go home.
Riep testified he started communicating with the woman through Snapchat in December 2019. The woman testified Tuesday she invited Riep to her dorm, but he suggested they instead go to Wint’s apartment, as Riep was staying there.
In his testimony, Riep said Wint was playing Call of Duty in the living room when he and the woman arrived, so he brought her to his bedroom, and she asked him on what side of the bed she should lie down.
Riep said when they were lying down, the woman started rubbing his stomach and began performing oral sex before she eventually got on top of him, and they began having sex.
In his testimony, Wint said he was playing Call of Duty online with teammates, and he went to get Riep for the next game. He walked in and saw Riep and the woman having sex, and the woman agreed when Riep asked if Wint could join.
Riep said the woman positioned herself in the middle of the bed and had sex with both men at the same time.
Wint’s attorney Samuel Shamansky said during Wint’s testimony the woman “disengaged” from sexual relations upon realizing she did not know Wint’s name, and Wint responded he felt “creeped out” she would have oral sex with him without knowing who he was.
Jahsen Wint, defendant in State of Ohio vs. Jahsen Wint, sits with counsel in court Tuesday. Credit: Gaurav Law | Asst. Campus Editor
On his way out of the room, Wint said he told the woman, “Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”
Wint eventually left the room, and Riep asked the woman if she was OK. She told him to “keep going,” he testified. Riep said he asked her again 1-2 minutes later if she wanted to continue, and she said “no.”
Riep said they stopped having intercourse at that time, and he noticed she was upset and wanted her to “calm down.”
At this point, Riep testified, he turned on his phone video and asked the woman to answer into the camera if the sex had been consensual.
In the video, which was played in court Tuesday, the woman can be heard saying “yes” while sobbing. Riep said he deleted the first video he recorded, but he filmed a second one which was admitted into evidence. The reason Riep deleted the first video is unclear.
Riep said he then got in the shower, and the woman joined him and told him her “ex-boyfriend used to rape her and make her get in the shower,” to which Riep responded, “This is not that.”
Riep testified he then drove her back to her dorm, adding he saw no tears on her face during the drive or when he dropped her off.
Amir Riep, defendant in State of Ohio vs. Amir Riep, sits with his attorney Dan Sabol in court Tuesday. Credit: Gaurav Law | Asst. Campus Editor
Wint said the detectives came to talk to him Feb. 9, 2020, and there was a Title IX investigation days later. Within a few days, Wint and Riep were removed from the team.
Additional defense testimony Wednesday came from former Ohio State football player Lloyd McFarquhar, who said the team had meetings about “changing the narrative” and “respecting women.”
He testified players are told to get women on the record consenting to sexual relations to prevent false accusations.
“Plenty of times they told us we could be a target,” McFarquhar said. “Because, like, when you’re in Ohio, especially Columbus, Ohio State football and basketball are the two most known things around here.”
Riep testified he had previously recorded videos of women with whom he had sexual relations to confirm the sex was consensual.
At that point, Sabol presented videos captured by Riep of four additional women with whom he had sex, stating the act was consensual. Riep said this practice was “something that we’re taught” by the team.
After the three men’s testimony today, closing arguments finished, and the jury began deliberation.
This story will be updated once a verdict is reached or there any updates from deliberation.
