Former Baylor player Sam Ukwuachu has sexual assault conviction overturned
A Texas court of appeals has overturned the sexual assault conviction of Sam Ukwuachu and granted the former Baylor football player a new trial.
Ukwuachu was sentenced to 180 days in jail and given 10 years of probation in 2015 after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a female soccer player in 2013.
The 10th court of appeals overturned the conviction based on the exclusion of text messages between the woman and her friends from evidence at trial.
Ukwuachu served two months of his jail sentence before being released on bail while awaiting his appeal.
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The case was part of the scandal at Baylor that led to the firing of coach Art Briles last year.
Ukwuachu transferred into the football program from Boise State in 2012. Former Broncos coach Chris Petersen said he "thoroughly apprised" Briles why Ukwuachu was dismissed at Boise State and detailed his violent past.
Ukwuachu was one of two former Baylor football players found guilty of sexual assault. An investigation by Pepper Hamilton law firm found several others women made allegations about incidents involving football players. Those complaints were not handled appropriately, according to the report.
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