Former Baylor player Sam Ukwuachu gets sexual assault conviction overturned

The former Baylor player was convicted in August 2015

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Former Baylor player Sam Ukwuachu is getting a new trial.

Ukwuachu had been convicted of sexually assaulting a female Baylor soccer player in August 2015, but his conviction was overturned by Texas’ 10th Court of Appeals. The court also ruled that Ukwuachu be given a new trial.

Ukwuachu’s appeal was based on text messages between him and the alleged victim that were not allowed as evidence during his original trial. His lawyers argued that the text messages showed that the sex between Ukwuachu and the alleged victim was consensual.

Ukwuachu was originally sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years probation following his conviction but served only two months before being granted bail in lieu of his appeal.

The former defensive end transferred to Baylor from Boise State after being dismissed from the team. While Boise State listed the reason for Ukwuachu’s dismissal as an unspecified violation of team rules, he had been accused of abusing his girlfriend. After being accused of sexual assault by the Baylor soccer player the school cleared Ukwuachu of any wrongdoing. It also tried to keep the fact that Ukwuachu had been indicted on two sexual assault charges in June 2014 under wraps and out of the public eye.

In many ways, it was the Ukwuachu trial and conviction that began the ongoing sexual assault scandal at Baylor. A scandal that includes 52 alleged “acts of rape” committed by 31 Baylor players, and led to the dismissal of football coach Art Briles in May 2016.