Two former Appalachian State University football players will not have criminal charges pressed against them.
“The District Attorney’s Office has finished its review of the allegations involving the above-named individuals and has declined prosecution,” according to a news release from the 24th District Attorney’s Office.
The allegations were brought forth by former Appalachian student Alex Miller. Miller accused the athletes of raping her at an off-campus party September 2011.
“I am frustrated, angry, upset and confused,” Miller said in an email Thursday. “I don’t agree with their decision and am beside myself that I have now reached a dead end.”
Originally, Miller said she tried to press criminal charges against the two men after she realized senior secondary history education major Meagan Creed was also accusing the two students of sexual assault.
Miller said she wanted to press criminal charges to protect other women.
“I wanted to press charges against them, not for myself,” Miller said. “At this point, this was nothing I could do to protect myself.”
Previously, Miller also brought the same students before the Appalachian Student Conduct Board during a April 19 to 20 hearing.
Following the hearing, one of the students was found responsible for sex offenses, sexual misconduct, harassment, hostile communication and being accessory to a code violation.
The responsible student had already been found responsible for the same charges brought forth by Creed, following an Appalachian Student Conduct Board March 29 to 31 hearing.
As a result of Miller’s hearing, the student was suspended indefinitely. The student could reapply fall 2017, but his reentry would be subject to the chancellor’s final approval, Miller said.
However, the second student was not found responsible for any of the charges.
Miller said in an April 26 email she was planning to appeal the second student’s case through the Appalachian Student Conduct Board.
“I really am at a standstill,” Miller said in the email. “It has been a lot to take in today and I guess I’m still in shock. I will be waiting to hear back my results from my appeal against [name redacted] and we will see what happens there to determine my next step.
The Appalachian does not print names of alleged sexual assault victims unless given permission by the alleged victims. Miller provided that permission.
STORY: ANNE BUIE, Managing Editor