News Local/State

Illini Basketball Player Nunn Arrested On Domestic Battery Charge

 
Illini mens basketball player Kendrick Nunn shooting for a basket.

Kendrick Nunn (25) in a game against Yale in December 2015. Nunn was arrested Thursday on a domestic battery charge. Rob McColley/Illinois Public Media

Illinois basketball player Kendrick Nunn has been arrested on a charge of domestic battery.  Nunn was booked into the Champaign County jail late Thursday afternoon, and bail has been set at $5000.  He is due to appear in court on Friday afternoon.

Police spokeswoman Laeisha Meaderds said Nunn turned himself in late Thursday.   Meaderds said Nunn was accused of striking a woman during a domestic dispute Wednesday afternoon at a home near campus. Meaderds said the woman's injury was minor. Nunn is due in court Friday.
 
Meaderds was not certain whether Nunn has an attorney.  In a joint statement, Coach John Groce and U of I Athletic Director Josh Whitman said Nunn "has been suspended indefinitely from all team-related activities pending legal proceedings and an investigation into allegations of domestic battery."

Nunn's arrest follows three other Illinois player arrests since last summer.
 
Illinois junior Jaylon Tate has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor domestic abuse after his arrest Saturday.
 
Forward Leron Black pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault last month. Darius Paul was kicked off the team last summer after he was arrested on a team trip.

UPDATE:  Illinois basketball player Kendrick Nunn's attorney says the junior has pleaded not guilty to two counts of domestic battery.

Attorney Evan Bruno says his client entered the plea to the misdemeanor counts during a hearing Friday.
 
Nunn's attorney, Evan Bruno, said Friday that his client has a pretrial hearing set for April 20. Nunn is free on bond.
 
Nunn is accused of striking a woman at an apartment near campus on Wednesday. Police say the woman suffered a minor injury and that the dispute may have been about money.  Nunn, who has been suspended from the team, is free on bond. His next hearing is April 20.
 
The 20-year-old is the fourth Illinois player arrested since August. Nunn's roommate, Jaylon Tate, was arrested Saturday on a misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse. He's also pleaded not guilty.
 
Bruno's firm also represents Tate. The attorney says the cases are unrelated.