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Prosecutor: Police Drove Cleaves Home After Alleged Sex Assault

FLINT (WWJ/AP) - Prosecutors say officers drove former Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves to his home after police responded to a reported sexual assault of a woman at a Flint-area motel.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey made the statement to a judge Thursday during a hearing in the case.

Defense attorney Frank Manley later told reporters, "Was the court acknowledging the number of people officers that were on this site, and if in fact that had seen any evidence whatsoever of a sexual assault, they would've done something to help this alleged victim."

"Clearly, through Miss. Lindsey and the court testimony, these officers' actions showed they saw nothing that would rise to the level of some type of crime,"  Manley said. "And to believe otherwise would mean that four officers would have to conspire and not do something to aid a victim in distress, a victim of sexual assault...It's absurd."

The 39-year-old Cleaves is charged with assaulting the woman last summer following a charity golf outing. The woman claims Cleaves offered her a ride and then took her to a Mundy Township motel where he held her in a room against her will, and raped her.

Cleaves denies the charge and said the two had consensual sex.

Wayne County prosecutors are handling the case after Genesee County's prosecutor did not take it due to a possible conflict of interest.

Cleaves led Michigan State to the NCAA basketball championship in 2000, winning the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player award. He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 14th overall pick and appeared in 167 games for four NBA teams.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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