Accused denies wrongdoing in sexual assault case

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The Pierce County District Attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint March 9 against 30-year-old Shannon Lister Mull, 445 Church Hill Road in Somerset, for third-degree sexual assault that allegedly took place at a River Falls home.

According to the complaint, the victim picked up a longtime friend from a Shakopee, Minn., motel. With him was another friend she had known for about a year. The three ended up at Mull’s Somerset home, where the complaint says both parties drank beer and smoked marijuana.

Later they traveled to a River Falls home, drank more and eventually settled in to spend the night. The victim said one of the friends had taken away her car keys.

She says Mull was drunk before going to River Falls. He says he had not drunk excessively.

The victim told police Mull fought with his girlfriend before leaving his house. The complaint says he pushed his girlfriend to the ground and dragged her by the hair away from the vehicle.

The victim, her two friends and Mull were headed to the home of Mull’s ex girlfriend.

While sitting around drinking beer at the River Falls house, the victim said Mull repeatedly tried to rub the inside of her thigh and she pushed him away.

He said as the group sat around, the victim kept putting her foot up to him. He said the victim was staring at him and after a time, he began to massage her foot.

The victim said late that night as she tried to sleep, Mull lay down on the couch behind her, sandwiching her between the couch back and himself. He says it was the other way around, his back was against the cushions with her lying on the outside.

She says he held her, forced her. He says she consented.

The victim said she called to her friend sleeping on the other couch, but he didn’t hear her. She said she didn’t yell for help because she was afraid of what Mull might do to her. She felt embarrassed and fearful.

He says the victim consented, that she never said “no” or tried to push him away.

The complaint says the assault stopped when two friends emerged from another room. The victim said Mull approached her again that same night but eventually gave up after she refused.

River Falls police arrested Mull shortly after taking the victim’s report. He had called the station and agreed to meet an officer for an interview.

Later that day police transported him to the Pierce County jail.

Investigators will be checking the River Falls home for evidence. If convicted, Mull faces up to 10 years imprisonment or a $25,000 fine.

He first appeared in court Monday for a preliminary hearing. His next court appearance will be a pre-trial conference April 13.

Tags: sexual, assault, mull