LSU's Office of Civil Rights and Title IX found redshirt freshman defensive end Damien Shanklin responsible for sexual assault classified as forcible rape, then watched an appeals officer cut his punishment from a two-semester suspension to four semesters of probation with no restrictions on campus life or football. The East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney has now opened a criminal investigation into the same allegations, with no charges announced as of the latest reporting.
The finding stems from an incident reported to have occurred around 4:30 a.m. on October 18, 2025, according to NBC News. LSU's Title IX process determined the complainant, Kendall Danielle Francis, was a victim of a “sexual assault - forcible rape,” according to WAFB. That finding was made under the university's civil, preponderance-of-the-evidence standard — meaning officials decided the conduct more likely than not occurred, not a criminal conviction, as TigerRag notes.
From Two-Semester Suspension to Probation
Shanklin's original sanction was a suspension through May 31, 2027, with restrictions on university property and conditions tied to readmission, per records cited by The Advocate. On appeal, that punishment was changed to four semesters of probation, allowing him to remain on campus. Francis has said the modification meant he would remain on campus and could continue to play football, according to the same NBC News report.
The appeal was heard in August. The reviewing officer ruled the initial punishment was exceedingly harsh and wrote that the nonconsensual behavior did not exhibit a deliberate disregard for complainant's dignity and autonomy but was instead an error in judgment, per the Advocate's reporting. The forcible-rape finding itself was upheld on appeal — only the sanction was modified, per WAFB.
DA Hillar Moore Requests Records
The East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office has since opened a criminal investigation into the allegations, according to an earlier WAFB report. District Attorney Hillar Moore III said he has requested all reports, interviews, evidence and other relevant records from LSU, law-enforcement agencies and the coroner's office, the Advocate reported. The criminal investigation remains ongoing, and no criminal charges have been announced.
Shanklin's attorneys have said he maintains his innocence regarding the events that occurred on October 18, 2025, and will fully cooperate with the criminal investigation, per the same WAFB statement. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, attorneys Grant L. Willis and Morgan H. Johnson issued a statement proclaiming Shanklin's innocence and said the public account is not a full account of the facts and circumstances, while asking the public to make no assumptions until more information is available.
Player's Status on the Field
Shanklin appeared in five LSU games in 2025, including three after the alleged assault was reported, according to the Los Angeles Times. He did not participate in preseason training camp this year, and LSU's official 2026 statistics list him with zero games played and zero starts through the team's first three games, per TigerRag. The Times also reports that first-year head coach Lane Kiffin confirmed Shanklin would not practice or play again at LSU; the team's prior coach, Brian Kelly, was fired on October 26, with Frank Wilson serving as interim coach for the rest of the 2025 season.
Francis made her allegations public in a September 14 TikTok video, according to the Los Angeles Times, and has said LSU protects its athletes, especially football players. She has also said she is doing coursework online and does not want to face Shanklin.
A Familiar Pattern in College Sports
LSU's Title IX office has faced broader scrutiny beyond this case. Former and current employees have alleged a hostile environment with high turnover and unfilled positions that leave complaints languishing, according to the Louisiana Illuminator. The outlet reports the office has three investigator openings and six other unfilled positions among 21 authorized roles, issues a 262-page Husch Blackwell report commissioned by LSU was meant to address after a USA Today investigation into sexual-misconduct complaints involving student-athletes.
Cases where college athletes continue competing amid misconduct investigations are not unique to LSU. Illinois basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. sued his school after officials suspended him following his arrest on a rape charge; Illinois later closed its investigation, citing insufficient evidence, according to ESPN. A separate East Baton Rouge Parish memorandum of understanding requires any institution that receives a report of possible felony power-based violence on campus to promptly notify the law-enforcement agency with jurisdiction, per TigerRag's reporting on the case.
