PROVO (KSL.com) A move to dismiss a civil complaint alleging sexual assault and rape against BYU’s starting quarterback, which began in 2023, was filed Monday morning in Utah’s 3rd District Court by attorneys for both parties.
According to court documents obtained by KSL, lawyers for Jake Retzlaff and the unnamed plaintiff, a Salt Lake lady known as Jane Doe AG, submitted the petition for joint dismissal with prejudice to judge Coral Sanchez on Monday.
According to the filed motion for dismissal, both parties will be responsible for paying their own expenses and legal fees.
Greg Skordas, a legal expert for KSL NewsRadio, stated that although the judge’s signature is still pending, the case is essentially over.
The dismissal motion was signed just before 10 a.m. MDT.
When the then-first-year BYU quarterback invited her to his residence in Provo in November 2023, the lady accused Retzlaff of sexually assaulting her. According to filing records for the civil complaint, the woman detailed the incident, describing how Retzlaff bit her lip, leaving a laceration, and then wrapped his hands around her neck.
In addition to additional damages, the lawsuit claimed over $300,000 for emotional hardship, mental discomfort, worry, shame, and humiliation.
According to the lawsuit, the alleged victim tried to notify Provo police about the encounter but was dissuaded from doing so. Through a spokeswoman, Provo police refuted the allegation.
This is untrue based on everything we have examined, the department stated in a statement.
According to the statement, she received considerate and polite treatment. In such instance, the complainant had multiple chances to identify her abuser. As is her right, she refused to do so, and the case was then concluded.
In an attorney-prepared legal response submitted to the 3rd District Court on Friday, Retzlaff also disputed the assault charges. The quarterback described the incident as a completely consensual evening after playing video games in the 14-page document.
Retzlaff responded by calling the case an attempt at extortion.
However, in doing so, Retzlaff acknowledged having premarital sex, which is against the honor code that all students at BYU are expected to uphold when they enroll. The code mandates, among other things, that students lead chaste and moral lives, which includes refraining from having intercourse with anybody other than a man and a woman who are married.
When ESPN initially reported on Sunday that Retzlaff would be suspended for up to seven games, he started telling coaches and teammates that he intended to transfer.
We don’t know where he’ll end up. However, once the litigation is resolved, sources told KSL.com that they anticipate Retzlaff to announce his destination before the end of the week.
Retzlaff has one season of eligibility left as a graduate transfer after graduating in April with a degree in exercise and wellness. The dual-threat quarterback led the Cougars to an 11-2 record and ranked No. 13 in the final Associated Press Top 25 after throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions and running for an additional 417 yards and six scores.
