No charges in Stevens case

A cloud over Washington tight end Jerramy Stevens was lifted yesterday when King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng announced that his office has insufficient evidence to support rape charges against the Husky sophomore.

"We have concluded that no criminal charges can be filed in this case," said Maleng, calling it "a done deal" unless new evidence surfaced.

Stevens was arrested by a six-member SWAT team late in July at the house he shares with several other UW football players, after a UW female student, 19, alleged he raped her in the early morning of June 4. He was released one day later without charges being filed, after the prosecutor's office said it needed time to investigate the case.

"It's been a very difficult time for all parties involved," UW Coach Rick Neuheisel said after yesterday's practice. "I'm happy that there's finally a resolution, and my general feeling is one of relief.

"I didn't get involved with the investigation. I left that to the authorities. I just tried to keep the team focused on the task at hand."

After the arrest, estimates from the prosecutor's office were that a determination would be made in August.

Explaining the lengthy process, Maleng said the complainant's inability to remember the key hours of the night because she was intoxicated created a gap for investigators.

"In the typical case, what you have is a complaining witness who comes forward and tells a story," Maleng said. "And then you would try to find out what the story of the suspect would be. Then you go out and interview witnesses to corroborate or add to the investigation.

"Here, you start an investigation where you have a blank slate, because the complaining witness did not remember what occurred at the relevant time on the prior night. So what you have to do is piece together a story where you literally have to talk to dozens and dozens of people."

Maleng added that the incident took place at the end of the school year, and students soon "were scattered throughout the West Coast."

Stevens, a 6-foot-7, 255-pounder who is the Huskies' second-leading pass receiver, did not comment after the UW practice. He released a statement that said, in part, "From the beginning, I was assured this case would be handled appropriately through the legal system. I want to thank my friends and teammates for the support I have received the past three months.

"I am relieved this matter has been resolved and I can continue to focus on being a student at Washington and a member of the football team."

His attorney, Mike Hunsinger, said Stevens convinced him of his innocence by taking a lie-detector test.

"It wasn't a situation where I said, `You've got to take one,' " Hunsinger said. "He said, `I'd like to take one.' He convinced me he was telling the truth."

Maleng said Mark Larson, chief of the prosecutor's criminal division, met last night with the complainant and her family.

"This was obviously very hurtful to them," Maleng said. "Anytime you're involved in a case like this, I would expect the complaining witness would be absolutely devastated.

"What we have to do here is make a filing decision based upon the law."

Maleng said a charge of second-degree rape would have required that "the victim was physically helpless, or mentally incapable of consent. The statute defines physically helpless as a person who is unconscious, or for any other reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to others."

Maleng said there was no evidence to warrant a charge on either count.