LAWRENCE, Kan. — Prosecutors dropped a felony rape case against former Kansas basketball player Arterio Morris on Tuesday, citing insufficient evidence while filing a motion in Douglas County District Court to seek its dismissal without prejudice.
Morris was charged last August and dismissed from the Jayhawks’ program after an incident report came to light detailing an alleged rape that occurred at McCarthy Hall, which houses the men’s basketball team along with other residents. The criminal complaint alleged that a sexual assault involving an 18-year-old victim occurred on Aug. 26.
Morris was not named in the incident report, but he was subsequently suspended from the team and then dismissed.
Morris had transferred to Kansas despite facing a misdemeanor assault charge in Texas, where he spent his freshman season playing for the Longhorns. According to Frisco police, Morris was arrested after officers were called to his ex-girlfriend’s house, where she told police that he had grabbed her arm, pulled her off a bed and hurt her neck.
Morris entered a no-contest plea to a Class C charge in that case and was ordered to pay a $362 fine.
Morris was a top-20 recruit out of Kimball High School in Dallas. He signed with the Longhorns and appeared in 38 games, helping Texas beat Kansas in the Big 12 title game and advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament two years ago.
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