Judge reduces bail for ex-U. football player charged with rape, sexual assault of women

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WEST JORDAN — A judge has significantly reduced bail for the University of
Utah football player charged with raping a teen girl and sexually
assaulting two other women.

Terrell Maurice Perriman, the 20-year-old wide receiver from Miami, was
expected to post bond after 3rd District Judge Chelsea Koch ordered the
reduction from $750,000 to $50,000 on Monday.

In court filings, Perriman’s attorney, David Drake, argued his client is
an excellent student with no criminal history. Drake said Perriman is not
a flight risk or a danger to the community.

“A $750,000 bail is, in reality, no bail. It is a slam in the face to the
concept of innocent until proven guilty,” Drake wrote.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said his office had argued
against the bail reduction, in part because Perriman is not originally
from Utah.

“These are very serious allegations. We have three alleged victims,” Gill
said. “Our position has never changed, that when it comes to these kinds
of violent offenses, we believe this person has been a risk to the
community and we don’t believe this is an appropriate release.”

The judge ordered Perriman to home confinement and required him to wear an
ankle monitor if he makes bail, court records show. Two of his attorneys
did not immediately answer messages seeking comment.

Prosecutors allege Perriman held a 17-year-old high school student against
her will and raped her in his Salt Lake City apartment on Jan. 23.

Drake, the defense attorney, countered in February court filings that
Perriman did not rape or kidnap the girl. In the days after the alleged
assault, Drake said, the teen texted Perriman about meeting for lunch,
told him she loved him and took a selfie with him wherein both are
unclothed and she is smiling. Drake alleged she went to police after
learning she was not the only person Perriman was dating.

After the football player’s arrest, police said two more women came
forward with allegations of sexual assault.

One told police Perriman forced her to perform a sex act against her will
in 2018. He went to her house to borrow something about a month later,
charges say, but pushed his way in when she opened the door slightly, then
assaulted her. The other woman told officers Perriman invited her to his
home Jan. 21 and raped her, charges say.

In all, he faces three counts of rape and two counts of forcible sodomy,
all first-degree felonies; burglary and forcible sexual abuse, both
second-degree felonies; and aggravated kidnapping, a third-degree felony.

Perriman was a redshirt freshman on the University of Utah football team
in 2019. He was suspended from the team amid the initial charges.

In the wake of the additional charges, U. head football coach Kyle
Whittingham announced Perriman’s dismissal from the team.

He is due back in court June 22.

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/4/13/21219226/terrell-perriman-
university-of-utah-ute-football-rape-charges-bail-reduced