A felony rape cost filed towards former BYU vast receiver Parker Kingston was dismissed with out prejudice Thursday morning by the choose overseeing the case, in response to a number of reviews. The Washington County Lawyer’s Workplace advised The Related Press that it intends to refile the case at a later date.
Choose Jay Winward of the Utah Fifth District Courtroom made the ruling a day after state prosecutors as soon as once more filed to delay the upcoming scheduled trial by two months.
Winward acknowledged that his choice to dismiss the case got here after prosecutors filed the movement to present the accuser extra time to organize to testify in court docket. The trial was just lately scheduled to start July 6 in St. George, Utah, the place the alleged incident occurred.
In accordance with Utah regulation, the case can nonetheless be refiled by prosecutors at a later time because it was dismissed with out prejudice.
“We’re shocked and deeply upset by the dismissal of this case,” a spokesperson for the sufferer’s household mentioned in a press release launched to The Athletic. “Our hearts are with our daughter, who confirmed super braveness in coming ahead and inserting her belief within the justice system. Right now, that belief was shattered when the Courtroom prioritized getting an athlete again on the sector over justice. The Courtroom’s choice will likely be troublesome for a lot of victims to grasp and settle for. It sends a message that even when somebody finds the power to talk out, they could nonetheless be unheard.
“Whereas we’re in disbelief on the occasions of right this moment, we’re grateful for the Washington County Lawyer’s workplace who’ve assured us that fees will likely be re-filed. The combat for justice for our daughter will proceed.”
On June 8, Washington County legal professional Jerry Jaeger filed a movement to disqualify Winward from the case, as “the alleged sufferer on this case has misplaced all confidence that she will obtain a good continuing earlier than Choose Winward. The sufferer seeks nothing greater than the chance to current her testimony and have the allegations adjudicated earlier than an neutral court docket and jury.”
Jaeger accused Winward of getting a bias towards Kingston and his sports activities profession within the case. In his request to disqualify Winward, Jaeger acknowledged that in a listening to on Might 18, Winward “acknowledged on the document that he wanted to contemplate the Defendant’s athletic sports activities profession in figuring out scheduling issues.”
A day later, on June 9, Choose John J. Walton, presiding choose in Utah’s Fifth District court docket, denied the movement to disqualify Winward.
A preliminary listening to held on April 23 recognized Might 26 for the beginning of the jury trial, however on Might 12, prosecutors filed a movement to delay the trial by stating the accuser was “not at present ready from a psychological well being prospect to proceed ahead to trial” on Might 26.
Kingston, 22, was accused of assaulting the 20-year-old accuser in her St. George residence in February 2025.
A yr later, Kingston was arrested on Feb. 11 in Provo and was later charged with felony rape on Feb. 13. That evening, BYU introduced that Kingston had been expelled from the college and that he would not be a member of the BYU soccer program.
“College administration and athletic administration, together with BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, have been solely made conscious of the investigation and allegations after Kingston’s arrest this previous Wednesday, Feb. 11,” in response to a BYU assertion in February.
In a video posted on social media this week, Kingston was proven figuring out inside BYU’s follow facility. In line with a BYU athletics assertion, “The video at present circulating is from a exercise not run by BYU gamers or employees. This was not a BYU workforce exercise, and BYU officers have been unaware of it going down and have responded appropriately.”
Kingston, who was set to be a senior in 2026, led the Cougars in receiving yards (928) and receptions (67) in 2025.
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