THE SIDELINES : Cotton Denies Rape Charges

CLEVELAND —  Cleveland Browns linebacker Marcus Cotton entered a plea of innocent today to charges of rape and sexual battery.

Cotton, 24, appeared for arraignment before Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Terrence O’Donnell. Bond was set at $5,000 and was posted, and the case was assigned to Judge Michael Corrigan for trial.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Cotton, formerly a star linebacker at USC, on Jan. 29 after police in Parma Heights supplied a statement of a woman who said Cotton sexually abused her.

Rape is a first-degree felony in Ohio with a possible sentence ranging from five to 25 years in prison. Sexual battery is a third-degree felony with a sentencing range of two to 10 years.