LOGAN — A 1st District Court judge has ruled that Torrey Green will face all 12 felony sexual assault charges against him, after defense lawyers failed to show why one of the charges should be merged with the other 11. The 23-year-old former Utah State football player is alleged have raped at least seven women while he was a student.
During the preliminary hearing in March, prosecutors claimed that in one of the seven cases, Green tried to rape a girl he met online just days earlier. When she didn’t consent to sex while watching a movie, he held her against her will in his bedroom and continued to try and assault her. He was charged with aggravated kidnapping and forcible sexual abuse. Judge Brian Cannell had questioned whether the kidnapping was part of the sexual abuse charge.
On Tuesday, Judge Cannell said prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence previously to merit both charges and defense lawyers hadn’t shown why the two charges should be combined. He did express some concern of exactly when the kidnapping allegation took place though, noting that the victim claimed to be detained both before and after the assault took place.
The ruling means that Green now faces six counts of rape, two counts of object rape, and one count of aggravated kidnapping, all first-degree felonies, along with three counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. He has already pleaded not guilty to each charge.
Prosecutors are still planning on filing a “doctrine of chances” motion, to allow them to present evidence and testimony from all seven alleged victims, at each other’s trials. State attorney Spencer Walsh said they will have their motion submitted soon.
Judge Cannell said he would allow time for defense attorneys to fill their motion against the request. He set a hearing date for August 3, when the parties for both sides will argue their motions. He predicted that it will take some time before he is able to give a ruling.
“It is complicated,” explained Judge Cannell. “There is a lot of evidence that I’m going to have to weigh through.”
Green remains in the Cache County Jail. He is being held without bail.
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