Football
Damien Shanklin’s defense group is lastly breaking its silence, and their timing states whatever. For months, the LSU football gamer remained peaceful while school reports became a high-stakes criminal evaluation. Now, with regional district attorneys digging into what occurred inside a dormitory, his attorneys are marching to recover the story.
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“Damien Shanklin keeps his innocence relating to the occasions that took place on October 18, 2025, and will totally work together with the criminal examination,” Shanklin’s lawyers Grant L. Willis and Morgan H. Johnson stated on Thursday.
The lawyers likewise pressed back versus what they referred to as the variation of occasions that has actually emerged through social networks and report. “What has actually been depicted on social networks and in the news so far is not a complete account of all of the truths and scenarios surrounding this scenario,” the lawyers stated
“Some details can not be revealed while the criminal examination continues since doing so might jeopardize the case.”
Beyond the basic boilerplate rejection, the defense group’s declaration advances an intentional legal position. By openly declaring that not all truths are openly readily available, particularly to not jeopardize the continuous criminal examination, Shanklin’s attorneys are asking the court of popular opinion to stop making presumptions up until more info is openly offered.
That difference matters since the case has actually now moved in between 2 extremely various systems. LSU’s Office of Civil Rights and Title IX formerly discovered Shanklin accountable for sexual attack and forcible r–, according to WAFB.
Shanklin appealed the choice. The finding was maintained, however the initial 1 year suspension was altered to disciplinary probation without limitations. Still, the Title IX finding was just an administrative decision.
That difference is whatever here. A Title IX hearing is simply an internal school evaluation; it can by far school probation, however it can not send out anybody to jail. For months, the procedure dragged out behind closed doors due to administrative hold-ups.
It was just after Francis took her story to TikTok, exposing the spaces in LSU’s reaction, that public anger required regional district attorneys to action in. Now, the case has actually moved from school administrators to criminal detectives, where the stakes are genuine legal charges instead of simply football eligibility.
The criminal case is still being examined. The East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office started evaluating the matter in September after the supposed victim and LSU trainee, Kendall Francis, asked authorities to pursue a criminal case.
Remarkably, the very first authorities contact in the Damien Shanklin case did not originate from Kendall Francis. Around twelve noon on Oct. 18, 2025, the LSU protective end fulfilled school cops at the football operations.
According to the authorities report, Shanklin wished to record what had actually occurred since he was worried about possible allegations from Francis.
The night in the past, Francis had actually gone to Shanklin’s space at Riverbend Hall after the 2 had actually been interacting on FaceTime. Both accounts concur that a few of the sexual contact was consensual. What occurred next is where their stories divided.
District Attorney Hillar Moore’s workplace verified that private investigators are gathering records and proof from LSU, LSU Police, Baton Rouge Police, and other firms linked to the case. No criminal charges have actually been revealed versus Shanklin.
“I’m a first-generation trainee; my household, you understand, they all felt in one’s bones that I was going to LSU,” Francis informed WAFB“My good friends understood that I was going to LSU, so it simply draws that my experience needs to resemble this. The truth that the university didn’t look after it properly is simply not all right.”
The case likewise consists of an uncommon timeline. LSU Police reacted to the circumstance on October 18, 2025. WAFB reported that the preliminary authorities action was categorized as a mental-health call which the Title IX workplace did not get the cops report till December 9.
Francis submitted an official Title IX problem in January 2026, however the case avoided of the general public eye for numerous months. That altered in September when Francis published videos on TikTok detailing her accusations and questioning how LSU managed the case.
She stated the university’s choice to decrease Shanklin’s suspension after his appeal made her worried about facing him on school. Her public account ultimately triggered restored examination of the case and preceded the criminal examination. Shanklin’s football status has actually likewise altered throughout that duration.
Football Damien Shanklin’s football status stays in limbo
The Indianapolis local is a redshirt freshman protective end on LSU’s 2026 lineup. He appeared in 5 video games as a freshman in 2025 and tape-recorded 2 sacks in his launching versus Southeastern Louisiana. Surprisingly, he has actually not bet LSU this season.
“He is not experimenting the group today, which’s all I can talk about,” LSU head coach Lane Kiffin stated to press reporters in August.
LSU President Wade Rousse likewise has formerly stated the university followed its Title IX policies and would comply with police now that a criminal grievance has actually been submitted.
The 2 likewise exchanged cash. According to the authorities report, Shanklin revealed private investigators messages in which he asked Francis not to report the occurrence.
The report states she reacted by asking just how much cash she would get if she accepted that deal. The Title IX records state Shanklin then sent her $1,000 through Cash App. Francis later on described the payment openly as “hush cash.”
While the criminal examination hangs over his head, Shanklin’s football profession stays frozen. The redshirt freshman protective end revealed genuine guarantee throughout video games, however head coach Lane Kiffin validated he is presently sidelined from group practices.
In the meantime, his athletic future and his individual liberty rest on how the district attorneys assess the proof.
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