bLAzed

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Mac

this is not surprising to me

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bLAzed

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Mac

Haynesworth's attorney, A. Scott Bolden, wrote in an e-mail Wednesday to The Associated Press that the offer was "no deal at all, nor is it one we would entertain."
"My client is prepared to, and will vigorously fight these charges," he wrote.
It is typical for prosecutors to offer a plea deal at the start of misdemeanor proceedings and share details of their case at that time.


An overview of the government's case, filed with the plea offer in court documents, includes a fuller description of the alleged incident at The W Hotel in Washington in mid-February. The eight-page document stated Haynesworth was attending a birthday party the night of Feb. 12-13 and was ready to pay the bill of more than $800 when his waitress was called over with her hands full of dishes.


Insisting he wanted to pay immediately and before she could drop off the dishes, Haynesworth tapped the woman on her arm and shoulder with his card, according to the court papers. The waitress "looked up and down at herself, as if wondering where [Haynesworth] expected her to put [the card]," when he slid the card down the center of her bra and began touching her breast, the documents allege. He said something to the effect of "Can I do that?," the documents state.


One witness who saw the exchange believed the waitress had agreed to let Haynesworth place the card in her bra, but reported her tone turned stern and she asked him to remove his hand after he touched her, according to the documents. The card was ultimately declined, and another waitress took it back to Haynesworth, prosecutors say in the document.


After the waitress told other employees what had happened, a security person at the hotel approached Haynesworth and asked him whether he remembered having any contact with the woman.


"I didn't touch her," Haynesworth responded, according to the document, adding that he doesn't "even like black girls."


When police detectives later tried to interview Haynesworth, he spontaneously told them, according to court papers: "I know what this is about, she is just upset I have a white girlfriend. I couldn't tell you the last time I dated a black girl. She was trying to get with me."


He refused to be interviewed further but did later provide a sworn statement to the government.


Haynesworth had a tumultuous 2010 season with the Redskins that ended when he was suspended without pay for the final four games of the season for "conduct detrimental to the club." He has constantly feuded with coach Mike Shanahan, skipped offseason workouts and failed to pass a conditioning test at the start of training camp. He did not start a game last season, despite being in the second year of a seven-year, $100 million contract.


Asked on Wednesday what he thinks of the sexual abuse charge, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said it would not be fair for him to give his opinion without talking to Haynesworth.


"Any time that somebody's name that's out there that's associated with this organization that's not positive, obviously you don't feel very good about it," Shanahan said. "But you want to get the facts first, and I haven't been able to talk to Albert. Therefore I don't feel comfortable talking about it."


Haynesworth has until May 17 to decide whether to accept the plea offer.


Haynesworth is also currently facing charges in Virginia for allegedly punching a man during a road-rage assault. That trial is scheduled for May. At one point last summer, he was also involved in lawsuits from a bank, an exotic dancer, a man injured in an automobile accident and complaints from his ex-wife that he wasn't paying for her health insurance or their children's bills.

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™Boss Boy™

Albert Haynesworth settles with assault victim; charge dismissed

Redskins lineman Albert Haynesworth reached an out-of-court settlement Monday with a man he allegedly punched in a road rage incident in February, and a misdemeanor assault charge against Haynesworth in Fairfax County General District Court was then dismissed.

Neither Haynesworth, 29, nor his victim, identified by Haynesworth’s lawyer as Arthur J. Velasquez, 38, of Leesburg, would comment after the brief hearing or discuss the terms of the settlement. But Haynesworth’s lawyer did confirm the sequence of events that led to the Redskins player being charged and said that Velasquez suffered “a bloody nose.”

Under Virginia law, a misdemeanor assault charge may be dismissed if the victim appears in court and “acknowledges in writing that he has received satisfaction for the injury.” Lawyers refer to the resolution as an “accord and satisfaction,” which can include a financial payment, an agreement to stay away from each other or an apology.

Haynesworth, in a white polo shirt, blue jeans, tennis shoes and sporting an outsize diamond earring, did not speak during a brief hearing before Fairfax District Court Judge Mark C. Simmons and ignored reporters as he left the courthouse with lawyer Steven Merril. Merril said the terms of the settlement were confidential and he would not discuss whether money changed hands.

Merril said he did not know how the dismissal of the assault charge would affect Haynesworth’s pending misdemeanor sexual abuse case in the District, and said he had not been contacted by Haynesworth’s lawyers in that case. Erasing a potential assault conviction from his record prior to the District case would seem to benefit Haynesworth.

Fairfax police said that on Feb. 2, Haynesworth was driving on the Fairfax County Parkway in the Reston area, and that another driver thought that Haynesworth was tailgating him. Merril confirmed the police version of events, that “a gesture was made to Haynesworth, known as ‘the finger,’ ” Merril said.

At a stoplight at New Dominion Parkway, “Haynesworth’s mistake was getting out of the car,” Merril said. “Most judges don’t like that, and find the person who gets out of the car bears more responsibility. From that point on, the stories diverge.”

Police said Haynesworth punched the other driver in the face. Merril would say only that Velasquez received a bloody nose.

“He’s sorry about the whole incident,” Merril said of Haynesworth. He said the “accord and satisfaction” was a regularly used legal resolution when only two people are involved and no serious injuries inflicted. Haynesworth was ordered to pay $72 in court costs.