Maryland

Former University of Maryland Basketball Player Accused of Rape Allowed to Play in Poland

A judge allowed a former University of Maryland basketball player charged with rape to leave the country to play professional basketball in Poland.

Damonte Dodd was indicted on rape charges but released on his own recognizance, promising to stay away from the alleged victim and surrendering his passport.

That changed this week.

“There was an emergency hearing held in which his attorney requested he be allowed to get his passport back so that he can leave the United States to go to Poland to play basketball,” Prince George’s County state’s attorney spokesperson Gina Ford said.

Dodd requested he be allowed to work overseas, and the judge said it was OK, according to new information revealed in court.

“I think he is expected to travel within the area to play games, and the judge did say that that is OK as long as he was once a week checking in with his defense attorney,” Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Hoppmyer said.

The state’s attorney’s office disagrees with the judge’s decision.

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“That's certainly something we argued against,” Ford said. “We feel like he should be treated like anyone else and we feel like he should have had to stay in the state of Maryland pending his trial until it's resolved.”

Dodd is accused of meeting a girl at a College Park bar, getting her drunk and raping her inside the Terrapin Row apartments in October.

Dodd's attorney was unavailable for comment Thursday but previously said the sex was consensual.

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