Former Michigan State Football Players Waive Hearings In Rape Case

EAST LANSING (WWJ) - Three former Michigan State football players accused of sexual assault have waived preliminary hearings in the case.

The cases will move to Ingham County Circuit Court since Josh King, Donnie Corley, and Demetric Vance waived the hearings Thursday morning, sending the case to trial.

The three were kicked off the team after criminal charges against them were made public in June. Each is charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct. In addition, King is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and distributing an image of an unclothed person.

Last week, the defense attorneys were allowed access to the apartment where the assault allegedly took place.

Michigan State University police allege that King pulled a young woman into an apartment bathroom on Jan. 16 of this year, pulled down her pants and raped her. He then allegedly allowed Corley and Vance into the bathroom and forced her to perform oral sex on them against her will.

Vance, 20, is a redshirt defensive back from Detroit. Corley, 19, is a receiver from Detroit. King, also 19, is a freshman defensive end from Darien, Illinois.

Corley and Vance face up to 15 years in prison if convicted as charged. King faces up to life.

The additional charge faced by King has to do with a video that was taken without the knowledge or consent of the woman, who is between the ages of 18 and 21 years old. An attorney said the woman was acquainted with one of the one of the defendants prior to the alleged assault, but she had never met the other two.

© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.