James Franklin refuses to comment on rape allegations against former Penn State football players

Penn State coach James Franklin declined to answer questions from reporters Wednesday after two of his former players were accused by police of raping a 17-year-old girl in her apartment on July 7.

Former Nittany Lions defensive end Jameial Lyons, 19, is charged with felony counts of rape, aggravated assault without consent, voluntary deviate sexual intercourse and misdemeanor counts of indecent assault without consent and invasion of privacy without consent.

Former Penn State linebacker Kaveion Keys, 19, is charged with aggravated rape, aggravated assault without consent, and sexual assault and indecent assault without consent.

Lyons was released on $500,000 bail during an arraignment Wednesday before Center County Magisterial District Judge Donald M. Hahn; Keys was released on $400,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

After practice on Wednesday, a reporter began asking Frankin about the crime. Franklin walked away from the microphone and a university spokesman read a prepared statement: “Concerning the two former Penn State football players, we released a statement yesterday and our program and athletics departments will have no further comment.”

When another reporter tried to ask Franklin about the players' firing, he walked away.

“Again, folks, the university has already released a statement,” the spokesperson said.

The Center Daily Times posted a video of the exchange between Franklin and reporters on its social media accounts.

James Franklin refused to comment on rape allegations against former players. My story, with video (by @JacksonRanger1) when Franklin was asked: https://t.co/9pbLokyZag pic.twitter.com/JUMZWhMbOR

— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) October 24, 2024

According to a police criminal complaint and probable cause affidavit obtained by ESPN, the 17-year-old student told police she met Keys and Lyons at an off-campus apartment on July 6 and was early the next morning went to her apartment.

The girl told police that Keys and Lyons provided her and two other girls with alcohol. While she was watching television with the players in Keys' bedroom, the players smoked marijuana, according to the affidavit.

The girl told police that while she was trying to sleep, the players approached her from both sides and touched her without consent. She told police that both men forced her to perform oral sex on them.

She said the players raped her and she was unable to stop them because of her size. She told police that her arms were tied and that the players grabbed her by the neck several times and choked her. She said she couldn't breathe.

The girl told police she saw a camera flash, believed to be from one of the players recording video.

According to the affidavit, she “put up physical resistance and managed to escape. She screamed and swore at Keys and Lyons.” She tried to wake up two other women in the apartment.

According to police, Lyons “grabbed the victim, carried him outside and dropped him on the ground.”

Police alleged Lyons told the girl, “B—-, you're never coming back here again and you're going to get out of our lives.”

Another woman told police that after Lyons woke up in the apartment vomiting, he led her to his bedroom. She told police she woke up with no pants on while Lyons was sexually assaulting her.

On July 8, Penn State University police executed a search warrant at the apartment and interviewed Lyons and Keys. Keys initially told police that women were at her apartment on July 7, but denied knowing the 17-year-old girl or having sex with any of the women.

Lyons told police that he had sex with the 17-year-old girl and that Keys was involved in the sexual encounter. The affidavit says Lyons “demonstrated holding the girl's arms and grabbing her by the neck.”

“Lyons expressed the belief that the contact was consensual; However, Lyons reported that he was aware that the victim would likely report the situation to police,” the affidavit states.

Police reported that there was a “short video documenting indecent contact with the 17-year-old” on Keys' cell phone camera roll.

Penn State suspended Lyons and Keys from the football team in August.

“We are aware of the serious allegations against Mr. Keys and Mr. Lyons, who are no longer enrolled at the university,” a university spokesman said in a statement. “The safety of our community is our top priority, and Penn State takes any report of sexual assault or misconduct very seriously and investigates all reports.”

Lyons, from Philadelphia, played eight games as a freshman at Penn State in 2023. Keys, from Varina, Virginia, did not play last season and was redshirted.