Yesterday, Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was indicted on sexual abuse charges in connection with an incident which occurred on February 13 at the W Hotel. Haynesworth allegedly caressed a waitress’ breast during the incident; the court documents, though, show that the encounter was far more involved than simply a wealthy sports player getting a little too handy with the wait staff.
According to the court documents filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Haynesworth pulled out a debit card to pay for his table’s $811.23 bill, tapped the waitress on the shoulder with the card, then “proceeded to put the card down the center of [the waitress’] bra,” and moved his hand near her breast and asked “can I do that?” After the waitress said no, Haynesworth allegedly moved “his fingers in circles around [the waitress’] left nipple.” Upon being interviewed by a security guard at the hotel, Haynesworth said he “didn’t touch” the waitress, because she was “a little black girl” and he “doesn’t even like little black girls.” Haynesworth later told police that the waitress “was just upset I have a white girlfriend” and that the waitress “was trying to get with me.”
As Amanda Hess comprehensively points out, those suggesting that the woman’s charges are bunk would be well-served to curb their victim-blaming for any number of reasons. Haynesworth’s been offered a plea deal which would dismiss the sexual abuse charge if he pleads guilty to one count of simple assault, which might potentially save the player jail time — the deal’s on the table until mid-May.
