Washington court date set for December
He will be tried on two counts of domestic assault.
Published Nov. 5, 2010
Derrick Washington will be tried for two counts of misdemeanor domestic assault Dec. 8. He is pleading not guilty.
Associate Circuit Judge Deborah Daniels set a preliminary hearing for Washington’s felony sexual assault charge for Monday, but defense attorney Christopher Slusher asked that it be waived.
Slusher said he planned to request a jury trial for the felony case and said he is considering requesting a change of venue.
Washington did not appear in court Friday because, although he is required to appear for his sexual assault case, he is not his domestic assault case.
The former Missouri tailback is accused of hitting and choking an ex-girlfriend in September, and sexually assaulting a former MU tutor in June.
Slusher said having the misdemeanor case tried by jury would push the court date back again, past December.
“We are considering requesting a jury trial (for that case),” he said.
Preliminary hearings are never held for misdemeanor cases, but they are typical for felony cases. Slusher said preliminary hearings are rarely held in Boone County.
“We’re waiving our right to something we’re never going to get,” he said.
Washington is currently living and attending school in Kansas City. He was dismissed from the Missouri football team in August after he was charged with sexual assault. He later withdrew from MU, forfeiting his scholarship.