Days after being dismissed from the University of Louisville basketball team, Chris Jones found himself in a different court on Thursday.
Jones, 23, stood before a judge and pleaded not guilty on charges of raping one woman and sodomizing another.
On Wednesday, Jones was named in an arrest warrant issued after a woman identified him as her attacker. A second warrant was issued on complaint of a woman who said Jones was among three men who forced her to have sex. The women were said to be 19 and 20 years old.
Video | Court arraignment for Chris Jones http://t.co/DKQPSIdQrt pic.twitter.com/ioyPBSKkbm
— cjnews (@cjnews) February 26, 2015Jones surrendered to police on Thursday. He was released on $25,000 bond following his court appearance, according to The Courier-Journal of Louisville. He was ordered to appear again on March 9.
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The other men were identified as Tyvon Walker and Jalen Tilford. Neither is connected to the Louisville basketball program. Both were held pending bail. Walker faces one count of rape, Tilford one count of rape and one count of sodomy. The acts of intercourse included vagina, anal and oral sex, according to Sports Illustrated.
Louisville athletics officials on Thursday issued a statement regarding Jones' dismissal from the Cardinals basketball team.
He was suspended on Feb. 17 but reinstated on Feb. 19, the statement read, "with strict internal disciplinary measures attached."
Jones violated curfew and was dismissed from the team on Feb. 22.
"While Chris is no longer a member our team, we understand that the charges are very serious," the statement read. "We certainly expect our student-athletes to uphold certain standards, including their treatment of others."
University officials had no comment on criminal charges against Jones.
While on bail, Jones is confined to a hotel, his residence since departing university housing. Jones is from Memphis, Tenn.
Jones didn't speak during his arraignment. An attorney said Jones "is innocent and he's been falsely accused, and he's going to be found not guilty," according to The Associated Press. Jones, he said, was cooperating with police.
University police said a sexual assault on two women occurred the night of Feb. 21-22 off campus. One of the women was identified as a university student. The assaults were reported to police on Feb. 22, according to Louisville TV station WAVE.
One victim identified Jones, according to WAVE, "because she recognized him as a University of Louisville basketball player" and he told her his name.
Jones was the subject of another police investigation involving a threat of physical assault on another female. Reports indicate it was that Feb. 17 incident that led to his initial suspension.
After Louisville's game on Monday, coach Rick Petino told media members:
"I feel awful for the young man. There's certain rules where you can work with people, and other rules where you've got to move on. Unfortunately, we've got to move on. They're like your children. You don't like to see anybody be hurt. But there's also accountability and doing the right things. He didn't. Now, he's got to get his life together, get on with life. There's no way he's coming back. It's over."
Jones, a senior, was the team's third-leading scorer and leader in assists.