The allegations of impropriety in the sexual assault case against Patriots defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth are growing.
Earlier this week, Haynesworth’s lawyer claimed that the alleged victim’s lawyer had offered a witness $50,000 to testify against Haynesworth. Now, prosecutors claim that Haynesworth’s lawyer has offered the alleged victim money to drop the case.
According to the Associated Press, prosecutors alleged in a court filing that, on “numerous occasions,” Haynesworth’s lawyer offered money to the lawyer representing the alleged victim, a waitress at the W Hotel in Washington.
“Just not true,” lawyer A. Scott Bolden told the AP by phone.
The issue has become relevant because prosecutors want to introduce evidence of the offers made by Haynesworth’s attorney if the judge presiding over the case allows Haynesworth’s attorney to introduce evidence of the alleged payment offered to the witness.
But the allegations of offers of money to a neutral witness are far more troubling. It’s not uncommon, or improper, for offers of settlement to be made to the alleged victims of criminal conduct, especially since those persons also have civil claims that could, and often are, advanced separately in court. And if the alleged victim suddenly has no desire to cooperate with a criminal prosecution, the prosecution suddenly becomes far less potent.
Either way, the judge needs to make a decision soon on whether the evidence will be admitted at trial. Trial is set for Tuesday, August 23.
