A freshman football player from Villanova University, named D'Hani Cobbs, is currently facing charges including rape and sexual assault in relation to an incident involving another student, prosecutors announced. According to FOX 29, the Delaware County District Attorney's office indicated that Cobbs was arrested with a seven-count indictment for the incident which allegedly occurred inside his dorm room on December 7.
The alleged assault took place following an off-campus event; after returning to Cobbs' dorm with other students, it was there the victim ended up alone with him, leading to a situation where prosecutors claim Cobbs forcibly penetrated and assaulted the victim without consent noting that she repeatedly instructed him to cease his actions, but the assault continued anyway searching for more clarity on CBS News. As reported by CBS News Philadelphia, the victim came forward with her report to university public safety the following day, and subsequent text messages from Cobbs to the victim, which included apologies and a desire for a "mutual understanding," are seen as potentially incriminating evidence in the case by District Attorney Tanner Rouse.
Cobbs has been removed from the Villanova campus, a decision confirmed by the university, and his football biography has been scrubbed from the Villanova Wildcats football website. The incident was also corroborated by evidence found on both the victim and Cobbs' cell phones, detailed by 6abc. A university spokesperson stated that Cobbs has not been present on campus since December 11 and is not currently enrolled in the university.
While Villanova University has expressed its firm stance to not tolerate sexual violence, they, along with campus police and the Delaware County District Attorney's Office, are actively conducting an investigation into this particular accusation Cobbs, who is originally from Camden, New Jersey, had previously made an appearance on the football field for the Villanova Wildcats, but information regarding his athletic profile is no longer accessible on Villanova's site, remains available on ESPN's player page. The preliminary hearing for Cobbs is scheduled for February 12, following his release on bail, a date where not only the pursuit of justice but the haunting burden of such allegations will ultimately signify that we are moving forward as a society when it comes to dealing with and prosecuting cases of sexual assault.
