Hearing underway in Tennessee high school basketball rape case

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF/AP) – Three Ooltewah high school basketball players are in a Sevierville court now on the rape and assault charges filed against them for an attack on fellow player at a retreat in Gatlinburg.

But since the three youths are minors, the judge is not allowing the media or the public inside the proceedings.

The three defendants face aggravated rape charges. Gatlinburg police say the three Ooltewah players assaulted a freshman Dec. 22 while the team was participating in a holiday tournament. Police say the boy required emergency surgery after older teammates held him down and assaulted him with a pool cue.

A judge rejected prosecutors’ attempts in March to have one defendant transferred to adult court.