Former NBA Ben McLemore Found Guilty for Serious Sexual Assault!

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Former NBA guard Ben McLemore has been convicted of rape and sexual assault by an Oregon jury, following an incident that occurred on October 3, 2021, at a party hosted by his then-Portland Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington in Lake Oswego.

McLemore, 32, was found guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration, and second-degree sexual abuse after an 11-day trial and approximately 10 hours of jury deliberation.

Prosecutors detailed that the 21-year-old victim was heavily intoxicated, to the point of unconsciousness, and unable to consent to sexual activity.

Evidence presented included witness testimony and photographs showing the victim incapacitated during the night of the assault. McLemore’s defense argued the encounter was consensual, but the jury ultimately sided with the prosecution.

McLemore, who played in the NBA from 2013 to 2022 and later overseas, faces sentencing on July 9.

He could receive more than eight years in prison under Oregon’s Measure 11 mandatory minimum sentencing laws.

The case has drawn attention as a high-profile example of the legal system holding public figures accountable, with Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth emphasizing that “fame or significant status” does not shield individuals from prosecution.

"We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender's community status," Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth said in a statement.

McLemore's attorneys disputed the victim's account and claimed she initiated sexual contact and consented to it. They also asserted that the woman was sober enough to consent even though both she and McLemore were intoxicated.