The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has
cleared sophomore running back Tyler Ebell from serving as a
witness in the trial of three Carson High School students who
allegedly raped a female student in De Neve Plaza fall quarter.
“We have no evidence whatsoever that Mr. Ebell is a
participant in or involved in any way in this case,” said
Alyson Messenger, L.A. County deputy district attorney.
The reason Ebell was considered as a potential minor witness,
Messenger said, was that the primary suspects of the case mentioned
him specifically.
“His name was used by the three defendants,” she
said. “That is the full extent of his involvement.”
The Daily Breeze reported this past week that Ebell could play a
role as a minor witness when court proceedings resume on June 17.
The Daily Bruin ran a story on the development on Friday.
Immediately after publication, the district attorney’s office
said Ebell was cleared from serving as a witness in the trial.
Chuwan Anthony, Jamar Dawson and DeShawn Stringer, all 17, were
visiting campus on a school-sponsored trip on Dec. 5, 2002 when
they left their tour group. They allegedly proceeded to sexually
assault a student in her in De Neve Plaza dorm room.
The preliminary hearing was initially set to take place on April
17, but was delayed because defense attorneys were not ready to
proceed with the case. This past week these attorneys were given
$250 sanctions for delaying court proceedings.
The incident was one of two violent crimes that occurred in the
campus housing area within the past academic year.
In February, two Saxon Suite residents were held at gunpoint
while assailants stole thousands of dollars in cash and property
from their room.