If Washington Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth agrees to plead guilty to a charge of simple assault, prosecutors said in paperwork filed Wednesday in Superior Court, they would drop the misdemeanor sexual abuse charge filed against him.
But Haynesworth's lawyer said the deal wasn't one his client would take.
Both charges carry the same maximum penalty -- up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 -- and Haynesworth's attorney, A. Scott Bolden, wrote in an e-mail 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," Bolden 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 says 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 that 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 ultimately was 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 if 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 the documents: "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."
Haynesworth refused to be interviewed further but did later provide a sworn statement to the government.
Haynesworth's tumultuous 2010 season ended when the Redskinssuspended him without pay for the final four games of the season for "conduct detrimental to the club." He constantly feuded with coach Mike Shanahan, skipped offseason workouts and failed to pass a conditioning test at the start of training camp. He didn't start a game last season, despite being in the second year of a seven-year, $100 million contract, and is expected to be traded or released this offseason.
Asked Wednesday what he thinks of the sexual-abuse charge, Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said it wouldn't 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 also faces a misdemeanor assault charge in Virginia for allegedly punching a man during a road-rage assault. His trial in that case is scheduled for May.
At one point last summer, Haynesworth also was 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.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
