James Franklin walks away from media after rape case question

James Franklin had no interest in discussing allegations of sexual assault against two former members of the Penn State football team on Wednesday, walking away from the microphone when a reporter asked about the situation. 

Prosecutors charged former players Jameial Lyons and Kaveion Keys with a felony rape and other charges stemming from an alleged incident that occurred at an on-campus apartment this summer. 

The pair were members of the football team up until Aug. 3, when they were dismissed from the team, multiple outlets reported.

Penn State head football coach, James Franklin stops by the game in Salesianum’s 21-7 victory over Appoquinimink, Friday, October 18, 2024 at Abesinio Stadium in Wilmington. Gee Johnson/Special to Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

But Franklin had no interest in addressing the situation when he faced reporters following Penn State’s practice on Wednesday.

A Penn State athletics spokesperson tried to get ahead of the curve and read a prepared statement that referred back to a statement the school released Tuesday night, indicating that Franklin wouldn’t answer questions on the topic. 

When a reporter asked when the coach knew over the summer that Lyons and Keys wouldn’t be on the team, Franklin quickly walked away and the frustrated-sounding spokesperson reiterated what he had said before. 

“Again guys, the university already released a statement,” he said. “We’ll have no further comment.” 

Franklin then reappeared and waited for questions about the team’s upcoming game against Wisconsin. 

Jameial Lyons was one of two former players charged in the case. Getty Images

New details about the alleged incident came to light Wednesday after charging documents became publicly available. 

Lyons was accused of raping a 17-year-old Penn State student on July 7 at an on-campus apartment.

He was also being accused of groping, digital penetration and forcing the female student to perform oral sex, according to the Centre Daily Times. 

Keys faces similar charges, and a police affidavit of probable cause indicated that a brief video of the interaction with the accuser was found on Lyons’ cellphone. 

According to The Athletic, the two deny recording anything during the alleged incident.

Lyons also faces charges of indecently assaulting a second intoxicated woman, and the affidavit said neither woman consented to sexual contact. 

Lyons admitted to having sex with the accuser and told police that he thought it was consensual, though he conceded that the female would “likely report the situation to the police,” the affidavit stated according to the Centre Daily Times. 

Penn State head coach James Franklin did not respond to the question about the case. AP

Keys denied any sexual contact with any of the three women in the apartment. 

The 17-year-old told police that she came across the two Penn State football players off-campus and eventually left to go to an apartment complex, which is where the alleged assault happened. 

The alleged victim had been with two other women at the time, and they had all been given alcohol, per police. 

Penn State head coach James Franklin on the sidelines in the first half against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The teen told officers she tried to get away but was unable to because of the two men’s size.

She alleges that she was choked and restrained. 

The two men were arraigned on Wednesday morning with bond set for Lyons at $500,000 unsecured and $400,000 for Keys.