Maurice Washington Faces Charges

If they let the kid play then clearly it's not as bad as was first thought. I mean, it's not like Scott pulled a snider and let Mo play after sexually assaulting someone the day after. 

 
So maybe one reason some people think those even with misdemeanors shouldn’t play is because there’s a precedent for that. 

Here’s a sophomore wr from Texas with a pending misdemeanor weapons charge (owning a firearm without a license, in Texas!) serving a suspension until it’s over. 


Surely you see from an optics standpoint how this keeps the staff, program and University looking like they’re trying to do the right thing?  No one is looking for the “rope and torches” like you’re implying. I’d just like Nebraska to not get this type of Pr hit. 
You might want to go read the report on this and then you will understand why he is suspended indefinitely.  

 
You guys should have kept Mike Riley around, he would have never let this go on and surely would have suspended Washington by now. Unlike Frost Riley took sexual assault related allegations seriously. 


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Damon Benning said that under Tom Osborne if you were charged with a felony, you didn't play until resolved.  I didn't realize that.
https://www.si.com/vault/1995/09/25/206647/coach-and-jury-nebraska-players-charged-with-crimes-have-a-steadfast-ally-in-the-man-who-runs-the-program-tom-osborne

For discipline, Osborne assigns players five points each, and

they keep playing until they lose their points. Cutting class

costs one point on the Osborne scale; a felony conviction costs

five. Skipping a practice is three points, and committing a

criminal misdemeanor is four. And he has been a font of second

chances for players and ex-players, including Muhammad, whose

eligibility is up but who has retained his scholarship and works

as an undergraduate coach. Muhammad was involved in a fight at a

Lincoln hotel last year in which Nebraska defensive back Ramone

Worthy was stabbed. "My feeling is Abdul can do more good on the

field than he can simply drifting around the community," Osborne

says.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
https://www.si.com/vault/1995/09/25/206647/coach-and-jury-nebraska-players-charged-with-crimes-have-a-steadfast-ally-in-the-man-who-runs-the-program-tom-osborne

For discipline, Osborne assigns players five points each, and

they keep playing until they lose their points. Cutting class

costs one point on the Osborne scale; a felony conviction costs

five. Skipping a practice is three points, and committing a

criminal misdemeanor is four. And he has been a font of second

chances for players and ex-players, including Muhammad, whose

eligibility is up but who has retained his scholarship and works

as an undergraduate coach. Muhammad was involved in a fight at a

Lincoln hotel last year in which Nebraska defensive back Ramone

Worthy was stabbed. "My feeling is Abdul can do more good on the

field than he can simply drifting around the community," Osborne

says.


Hmm.  That says conviction.  I must have misheard Benning

 
https://www.si.com/vault/1995/09/25/206647/coach-and-jury-nebraska-players-charged-with-crimes-have-a-steadfast-ally-in-the-man-who-runs-the-program-tom-osborne

For discipline, Osborne assigns players five points each, and

they keep playing until they lose their points. Cutting class

costs one point on the Osborne scale; a felony conviction costs

five. Skipping a practice is three points, and committing a

criminal misdemeanor is four. And he has been a font of second

chances for players and ex-players, including Muhammad, whose

eligibility is up but who has retained his scholarship and works

as an undergraduate coach. Muhammad was involved in a fight at a

Lincoln hotel last year in which Nebraska defensive back Ramone

Worthy was stabbed. "My feeling is Abdul can do more good on the

field than he can simply drifting around the community," Osborne

says.


Hah! I'm actually reading that article now. It was the first thing that popped into my mind after reading that thing from Benning.

The comments from the Lancaster Co. Attorney don't seem too pro-Osborne:

Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey says, "and he should stay out of the criminal justice system. He hasn't done that at all." According to Lacey, Osborne has taken it upon himself to interview witnesses in criminal cases, offered very public opinions on the probable innocence of players who have yet to stand trial and attacked the credibility of witnesses testifying against his players. In January 1994 he and an assistant even locked away a gun that had allegedly been used by one of his players in the commission of a felony.

"That's Osborne using his influence to disrupt the criminal justice system," Lacey says. "Osborne talks to witnesses. Whether he tried to influence them or not ... someone with his reputation would have an effect."

In four recent cases involving criminal charges against his players, Osborne has aggressively rushed to their defense: Riley Washington, a junior wingback, continues to practice with the Cornhuskers despite having been charged with attempted second-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony in connection with the Aug. 2 shooting of 22-year-old Jermaine Cole at a Lincoln convenience store. Cole told Lincoln police that he and Nebraska undergraduate assistant football coach Abdul Muhammad were fighting when Washington pulled his gun and fired, saying, "Your life is gone." On Sept. 11, two days before Washington pleaded not guilty to both counts, Osborne said, "I think there is a very, very good chance that Riley didn't do what he's accused of. I've talked to a lot of people.... I feel pretty comfortable about Riley's case."


Washington issued a plea in the case on 9/13/95.

Washington played against Pacific on 9/23/95.  Maybe the case was completely adjudicated in the ten days from plea to that game.

 
The Wisconsin player was suspended per Wisconsin student-athlete conduct policy.  A person can argue that Wisconsin's rules are flawed but it's their rules.

https://uwbadgers.com/sports/2017/8/10/policies-student-athlete-discipline-policy.aspx?id=1336


3. When the Policy Applies


This policy applies when a student-athlete has been charged with or arrested for a crime based on conduct involving:

  • causing serious physical injury to another person
  • creating a serious danger to the personal safety of another person
  • making a credible threat of serious physical injury to another person
  • sexual assault
  • delivering or possessing with intent to deliver a controlled substance as defined in Chap. 961, Wis. Stats.
  • felony theft or felony criminal damage to property
  • "stalking" as defined in UWS 17.02(14)
  • repeated violations of the criminal law that raise the concerns addressed by the policy




4. Deciding Whether the Policy Applies


When there is a good faith question about whether the letter or the spirit of the policy applies, the athletic director shall decide, in consultation with the chair of the Athletic Board, whether the policy applies.


5. If the Policy Applies: Immediate Suspension Pending Factual Inquiry





 
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