ATHENS -- Georgia football player Adam Anderson appeared on a rape charge in Athens-Clarke County Magistrate Court on Thursday morning. The appearance followed his arrest Wednesday by Athens-Clarke County police. No bond was made available.
Anderson will have to remain in jail at least until Wednesday. At that time, Superior Court Judge Eric Norris will consider the petition for bond filed by Anderson’s attorney, Steve Sadow. That public hearing was set for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Athens-Clarke County courthouse.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained a copy of the arrest warrant. Filed by Athens-Clarke County police detective Hovie Franklin Lister at 9:07 a.m. Tuesday, the document alleges the crime of felony rape was committed by Anderson between the hours of 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. Oct. 29 in a South Milledge Avenue apartment. The timeline initially was reported by police to be between midnight and 7 a.m.
Sadow said Anderson denies the charges and ”intends to vigorously defend himself in court.”
Anderson is a senior outside linebacker from Rome for Georgia’s No. 1-ranked football team. He was booked into Athens-Clarke County Jail at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday and remains incarcerated without bond. The arrest came 13 days after police opened an investigation into rape allegations reported to them by a 21-year-old woman. The AJC does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
At least three Georgia football players have been interviewed in the case. Meanwhile, the police investigation will continue.
“While an arrest has been made the investigation is still ongoing. Therefore, investigatory aspects of this case, such as search warrants, are not being released at this time,” Shaun Barnett, public information officer of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, told the AJC.
“Adam is innocent of the charge brought against him and intends to vigorously defend himself in court,” Sadow said in an email sent to the AJC on Wednesday. “He will seek release on bond. Once again, Adam hopes and prays that the UGA community and the public keep an open mind and afford him the presumption of innocence that the law demands.”
Anderson has been under investigation by Athens police since Oct. 29. That’s the day that a woman went to an east Athens police precinct to report that she had been raped by Anderson sometime between midnight and 7 a.m. that day.
That report was taken by police at 2:37 p.m. Anderson flew to Jacksonville with the team later that afternoon. The police report states that Anderson was not contacted at that point.
Anderson played for the Bulldogs in their 34-7 win over Florida on Oct. 30. UGA officials said this week that neither coach Kirby Smart nor anybody from the athletic association was aware of the investigation until Nov. 1, when they were sent a copy of the police report from UGA’s Equal Opportunity Office (EOO).
Anderson has been indefinitely suspended from all team activities since Nov. 1, according to UGA. He did not attend Georgia’s 43-6 win over Missouri on Saturday and will not play Saturday at Tennessee.
Anderson remains a UGA student enrolled on athletic scholarship, though he obviously cannot attend classes. However, the university could choose to hold a hearing in which sanctions are levied ranging from restrictions up to expulsion. Any such actions would be administered by the EOO.
“The Athletic Association has no additional comment as it is an ongoing legal and university disciplinary matter,” a UGA spokesman said Wednesday.
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