Woman accused of lying about rape denied probation program

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – A former Connecticut college student accused of lying about being raped by two university football players has been denied a pretrial probation program.

The Connecticut Post reports Superior Court Judge Maureen Dennis on Friday rejected accelerated rehabilitation for former Sacred Heart University student Nikki Yovino. If successfully completed, the program would have led to a dismissal of the charges without requiring a guilty plea.

Dennis says Yovino’s alleged false report is “lethal to all true victims.”

The 19-year-old New York native accused two Sacred Heart football players of sexually assaulting her during an October party. The players said the sex was consensual. Police say Yovino later admitted making up the allegations.

Yovino’s lawyer said Friday she’s “sorry it happened,” but says that is “not a guilty plea in any way.”

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Information from: Connecticut Post, http://www.connpost.com