Former IU football player Connor Delp charged with rape; tells detective he is innocent

Laura Lane, The Herald-Times
·2 min read
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Nov 12, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Josh Proctor (41) tackles Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Connor Delp (80) on a kickoff during the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Nov 12, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes safety Josh Proctor (41) tackles Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Connor Delp (80) on a kickoff during the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Allegations of sexual assault two women made against former Indiana University football player Connor Delp have resulted in four criminal charges against him.

The 20-year-old from Greenwood was charged Monday with two counts of rape, sexual battery and battery. A business management major at IU, Delp was a walk-on punt returner in 2021, then was suspended from the team last November and dismissed in January.

A warrant was issued for his arrest with a $30,000 surety and $500 cash bond. Court records indicate Delp is being represented by two high-profile lawyers, James Voyles of Indianapolis and Katharine Liell in Bloomington.

According to an affidavit signed by Bloomington Police Department Detective Joe Henry, two women reported being sexually assaulted when they went to Delp's apartment on East 20th Street to drink and play video games on Nov. 11, 2022.

One woman said Delp raped her while pushing her face against a wall as she told him "no" and to stop while her friend slept on the bed. The friend awoke and screamed, the affidavit said, and the friend later reported she, too, had been sexually assaulted by Delp that night.

The first woman went to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis the next day for a rape exam.

On Nov. 15, Henry went to Delp's apartment to ask him about the sexual assault allegations against him. In the affidavit, Henry said Delp called his lawyer, who told the detective a statement would be forthcoming.

On Nov. 21, the lawyer presented Henry the results of a polygraph test that indicated Delp "was not being deceptive in his responses."

During an interview that day, Delp told Henry that the sexual acts between himself and the women were consensual, the affidavit said. Delp said despite the women's claims, he was never told "no," and when he went to his bedroom, they followed and he expected they would engage in sex.

His attorneys issued a statement Tuesday, saying their client has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. "There are always two sides to every story. Connor Delp intends to vigorously defend against these charges in the appropriate forum — the courtroom."

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Former IU football player Connor Delp denies sexual assault charges