Bowles gave his account of the events in a sworn statement filed in federal court in Nashville, where he acknowledged he might be called as a witness and is willing to testify.
The following is an excerpt from court documents:
190. Varsity football player Drae Bowles had picked up Plaintiff Doe IV (and her friends) in his vehicle the night of her assault (early morning hours of Nov. 16th) when he noticed Jane Doe IV was distraught in the parking lot.
191. Jane Doe IV was hyperventilating and crying near bushes in the parking lot.
192. Doe IV told Bowles in the car about the rape and, after discussion, she called 911 from his car to report the rape to the authorities. Bowles drove Jane Doe IV and her friends from the Woodlands apartment/condominium complex to Volunteer Hall where she was taken by ambulance to UT Medical Center where a rape/sexual exam was conducted.
193. Later that day (Sunday) Bowles was in the locker room when he was confronted by player Curt Maggitt. Maggitt was a roommate of A.J. Johnson and Geraldo Orta. Maggitt had been at the party the night before and had seen the girls (including Jane Doe IV) in the parking lot. Maggitt, who had heard that rape had been reported, asked accusing questions to Bowles about the events the night before. Bowles told Maggitt what had happened. Maggitt became violently upset, said that Bowles was trying to "(expletive) up AJ" and suddenly punched Bowles in the mouth with great force, causing Bowles's lip to bleed. Bowles fought back and threw punches before the fight and assault was broken up by teammates.
194. After this assault by Maggitt, on Sunday, Bowles called Coach Jones to relate what had happened. Coach Jones stated to Bowles he was very disappointed in Bowles and that he had "betrayed the team." Bowles became extremely upset, broke down and cried.
195. Several hours after this phone call Jones called Bowles and apologized for calling Bowles a traitor to the team.
196. The next day, Monday November 17th Bowles went to eat at Smokey's Sports Grill in the Anderson Training Center. He purposively sat by himself away from other teammates.
197. He was not alone for long. Football players Geraldo Orta and Marlin Lane aggressively came over to Bowles' table to jump him as they shouted at him. Another fight was about to break out but was stopped when football strength coach Brandon Myles physically intervened to hold back Orta and Lane. Bowles got up to leave and as he walked out up the stairs Orta and Lane followed him. Coach Myles again intervened and Orta and Lane stopped following him.
199. In his interviews with police, UT football player Geraldo Orta stated that he felt Bowles had betrayed the team and that where he (Orta) came from, people got shot for doing what Bowles did. These facts are set forth in the Knoxville Police Department Incident Report.
200. During the interview Orta also admitted having confronted Drae Bowles in Smokey's Cafe (the athletic dining facility), getting "in his face" and saying "some threatening things."
201. Orta further acknowledged that UT football player Curt Maggitt had also, in a separate incident, confronted Drae Bowles in the team locker room and that Head Coach Butch Jones had "instructed the team to stay away from Bowles and Bowles was given time away from the team."
202. Curt Maggitt admitted to police assaulting Drae Bowles.
203. Jones took no action or discipline against Orta, Lane or Maggitt.
204. After these events, Bowles was a persona non grata and was shunned by other teammates. At that point he moved forward with plans he had considered earlier to leave UT for a smaller school. Upon information and belief UT then arranged for Bowles to transfer to UTC after the assault incidents.
205. Bowles left the team and transferred to the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
206. The actions and intent of UT football players against Drae Bowles were also disclosed by Michael Williams in his November 26, 2014, interview with the police, when he stated that his teammate, Geraldo Orta, had told Williams that the football team had "a hit" out on Drae Bowles.
207. The mistreatment, assaults and shunning of Drae Bowles that was condoned by Coach Jones caused Jane Does IV and V to fear for their own safety (recrimination, retaliation, being shunned) and were a major causal factor in their decision to leave UT.
208. Drae Bowles had acted with the utmost kindness and strength of character toward Jane Doe IV, her friends and Jane Doe V. For his kindness and courage he was beaten up, called a traitor by his head football coach, and ostracized from the team by Coach Jones and other players. Maggitt continued to be touted as a team leader and with Orta and Lane celebrated a bowl victory by posing for cameras flashing rapist AJ Johnson's number (45) with their hands and fingers.