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http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12324505/nfl-withdraws-combine-invitation-former-tennessee-linebacker-aj-johnson

Should be a cautionary tale for all college athletes. Heck, for anyone really.

Anyone know the status of his case?

Okay I found this.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local-news/webutrape12_51912218

They were indicted two days ago, which definitely explains the "un-invite".

Unfortunately it does look like he ruined his NFL career.  Best hope might be to be found innocent and try again next year or in the supplemental draft.  Or go to jail, I guess.   :frown:

Bummer for AJ?  More like bummer for the girl (if he's proven to be guilty, of course)

You got that right! I've seen several UT fans bemoaning AJ's misfortune on Twitter. The grand jury found cause to indict, which is an indication that the D.A. has a case that can be substantiated. Don't feel sorry for AJ. He did this to himself.

No Creek. The fact the Grand Jury indicted AJ only proves that the DA only presented the State's case and showed there is creditable evidence to proceed to trial. The DA is only going to provide evidence that he thinks will provide a win. Do not delude yourself in believing simply because the DA feels there is enough evidence to convict. A DA will use this as leverage to plea bargain a guilty plea to a lesser charge simply to feather his own conviction rate. The Grand Jury system is fixed to almost always return a true bill because the DA only has to prove that there a crime may have occurred and should proceed to trial. All the Knox County assistant DAs are new and are really out to make a name for themselves. They only take cases to trial if they think they can win or get a plea bargain.

In our system of law, the guilty sometimes get away with crime. And sometimes innocent people get convicted of crimes they did not commit. Grand jury true bills prove nothing because the DA only proves incriminating evidence. If you only see the bad, how can you not vote to proceed? Grand juries have outlived there usefulness and should be abolished. Let the DA proceed to trial if he or she thinks they can win.

These days,you are innocent,until proven guilty on the internet   :secret:

All of that is exactly what I said. The D.A. has a case that can be substantiated. It doesn't mean he's been proven guilty, but it does mean that the D.A. and the panel of ordinary citizens who the D.A. presented to feel that there's a case to be made. A fair number of UT fans deluded themselves into listening to the inevitable messageboard rumors and believed that this was all a mixup over a cheating girlfriend. If that were true, this would've never been presented to the grand jury.

Is AJ Johnson innocent until proven guilty? Sure he is. That's why he is free to come and go as he pleases and obtain employment (outside the NFL, obviously) until and unless the jury hands down a guilty verdict. However, I get really weary of sports fans attempting to justify the actions of sports stars.

I find it very telling that many of the same UT fans who have chastised (and rightfully so) and had "fun" with the Vandy rape perps since it was first brought to light are now coming to Johnson's and Williams' defense and claiming that they are being "set up" by the alleged victim without even seeing what evidence the DA has.  Seeing through orange colored glasses is alive and well in Big Orange Country.

They will have their days in court.  Until then they are free to do what they can negotiate, but until the case is disposed of one way or another they have no more rights than would anybody else who put themselves in that situation.

As for the NFL pulling back the Combine invite, what other choice did they have?  With all of the emphasis on preventing domestic violence coming on the heels of the Ray Rice incident and other high profile cases if they had allowed Johnson to go through the pre-draft process it would have reeked of hypocrisy on the part of the NFL.

Yep, innocent until proved guilty in our system, but if Johnson were a non-high profile athlete - just a "normal" UT student - who had rape charges over his head, does anybody honestly believe that a prospective employer would hire him right now?  Anybody who says yes to that is either blind to reality or just plain stupid. 

Maybe an unfortunate choice of word.  "Bummer" in this case simply means he is screwed by getting indicted.  It was intended to be light-hearted, but definitely not intended to imply lack of responsibility for his actions.  I could have said "the crows have come home to roost", "the other shoe has dropped", etc.    My intent was to convey that he now has to face the consequences of his actions.

At the same time, as others have pointed out, he has yet to be found guilty.  As flawed as it is, we have to let the justice system work this out.

And HTK, no offense, but I don't think anyone is questioning the NFL's decision.  Yes, it was complete no-brainer, but thanks for pointing that out anyway.   :naughty:

Oh, it's out there and out there in a big way, Bandit.  Look at some of the other UT fan forum sites.  That attitude is there. 

Oh okay.  Well every fan base has it's share of idjuts...