UPDATED: Rietz dismisses charges against Tate

Photo by: The News-GazetteURBANA — Champaign County’s top prosecutor has dismissED domestic battery charges against a University of Illinois basketball player, calling the case against him unwinnable.

State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said Wednesday that her office will no longer prosecute Jaylon Tate, 21, in connection with a March 12 incident involving an alleged battery to UI softball team player Hailey Pieruccini.

“We don’t believe a jury would convict based on the evidence we have at this time. We have spoken to all the parties and they would like to move on from this without proceeding to a jury trial,” Rietz said Thursday.

Almost three weeks ago, Judge John Kennedy had agreed that two of…