Michael Williams' trial again delayed
KNOXVILLE — Former Tennessee football player Michael Williams again had his rape trial postponed Thursday as the court waits to obtain social media records it feels could be relevant.
Williams had been scheduled to face a Sept. 29 trial on aggravated rape charges, but Knox County Judge Bob McGee ruled that the date would be pushed back. Another hearing will be held Monday to determine Williams' new date; McGee suggested early November.
McGee ultimately decided it was unfair to allow Williams' trial to be held without all of the social media and telephone records that defense attorneys have asked for. A.J. Johnson, formerly Williams' teammate, will be tried on similar charges in June. By then, his defense team will presumably be in possession of the records sought from Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, YikYak and Twitter. Telephone records are also being gathered from AT&T.
Both former players have pleaded not guilty to orally and vaginally raping a 19-year-old Tennessee student-athlete at a postgame party in November. The alleged victim, now 20, no longer attends the university.
Reach Matt Slovin at mslovin@tennessean.com or on Twitter @MattSlovin.