Lawyers claim grand jury declined to indict former football player Landon Rice

Attorneys representing former football player Landon Rice have claimed in a statement that a Lee County grand jury declined to indict him on "any charge."

Rice left Auburn in September during a Title IX investigation into a rape accusation made by a female student in July 2016.

"On April 12, 2017, a Lee County grand jury decided there was not sufficient evidence to support any charge against Landon Rice," the statement from Augusta S. Dowd and Kelly Brennan reads. "The members of the grand jury were presented with facts and heard the testimony of both Landon and his accuser. It is correct that Landon passed a lie detector test shortly after the allegations were made. Landon Rice has never been arrested or charged with any crime.

"Landon is glad that this matter is behind him. He is currently considering opportunities to play football with Division I schools."

Rice repeatedly apologized in a series of text messages to the woman who accused him of rape, according to documents released by the accuser’s attorney in September.

The accuser started a text conversation with Rice at 9 p.m. April 18, six days after she later told Auburn police she was raped.

“I said no to having sex,” the woman, who is a student at Auburn University, wrote Rice. “I didn’t say it just to hear my own voice, I said it because I meant it. So the fact that you didn’t respect me enough to listen really really hurts. I know you knew better than that. I’m saying this because I want you to know that what you did was wrong. Whether it was 5 seconds or it was 20 minutes, it was still wrong.

“So I’m texting you about this for two reasons. One because the next time you are in that position, listen and do not make another girl feel disrespected like I do. Two because I want you you to just leave me alone from now on.”

Rice responded in a series of texts that included the word “sorry” five times.

“Yes I knew it was wrong and I am sorry,” Rice reportedly wrote. “There is nothing I can do to make it right. I am really sorry. I should have never put you in that position, I was just in the moment. That is not the person kind of person I am. (Accuser’s name) I am really sorry.”

The accuser responded by saying she wanted Rice to leave her alone and he again apologized.

“Can we just put this behind us and don’t tell anyone. I’ll leave you alone,” Rice reportedly wrote. “Once again I am really sorry and I feel terrible about it.”

The accuser responded, “Just don’t do it again.”

The April 18 texts end with Rice writing, “I’m not. I’m really sorry.”

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