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MSU tennis player arrested on rape charge |
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Tuesday, 18 November 2008 |
By BRIAN HAWKINS
Starkville Daily News
A Mississippi State tennis player remains jailed this morning following his arrest Monday in connection with a reported sexual assault that took place late Saturday night at an off-campus apartment complex.
Christopher Richard Doerr, 20, a junior tennis player from London, England, was arrested Monday afternoon on charges of rape and furnishing beer to a minor. Doerr, whose local address is listed as 1000 Campus View Drive, Apt. 1150, in the Campus Trails complex, is being held on a total bond of $50,500 on all charges.
Doerr was arrested after the female victim, who is also 20 years old, signed affidavits Monday pressing charges against him, said George Carrithers, chief deputy for the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department, late Monday night.
Carrithers said sheriff’s deputies were called to the Oktibbeha County Hospital emergency room shortly after 2:30 p.m. Sunday “to talk to a female about a sexual assault.”
The victim came to the Sheriff’s Department offices upon her release from OCH to give formal statements in the case, Carrithers said.
Carrithers would not comment on whether a sexual assault examination was performed on the victim and if any evidence was recovered.
The victim told deputies that the reported sexual assault took place at the suspect’s apartment some time late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, Carrithers said. There was a party being held at the apartment at the time of the reported assault, and use of alcohol is being examined in the case, Carrithers said.
Carrithers would not comment on whether deputies are investigating the involvement of other intoxicating substances, but did say that the suspect is being charged under Mississippi Code Section 97-3-65-4a, which states:
“Every person who shall have forcible sexual intercourse with any person, or who shall have sexual intercourse not constituting forcible sexual intercourse or statutory rape with any person without that person’s consent by administering to such person any substance or liquid which shall produce such stupor or such imbecility of mind or weakness of body as to prevent effectual resistance, upon conviction, shall be imprisoned for life in the State Penitentiary if the jury by its verdict so prescribes...”
Carrithers also would not comment on whether there were witnesses to the reported incident, but did say no other suspects are being investigated in the case.
According to the MSU Athletic Department Web site, Doerr saw key action as a sophomore doubles player for the MSU tennis team last spring. During the fall of 2007, he won three of five matches in three fall tournaments and went 3-3 in doubles play.
Prior to coming to MSU, Doerr reached as high as No. 11 in the English national rankings and as high as No. 420 in the International Tennis Federation rankings.
MSU Athletic Department officials said they could not comment on Doerr’s status while the investigation is ongoing. MSU Men’s Tennis Head Coach Per Nilsson could not be reached Monday night for comment regarding Doerr’s arrest.
Should Doerr be bound over the Oktibbeha County Grand Jury, indicted, tried and convicted on the rape charge, he faces a maximum sentence of up to life in prison.
At least one member of Doerr’s family — believed to be his father — was seen at the Oktibbeha County Jail Monday night inquiring about his arrest status.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 19 November 2008 )
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