AJC: Brandon Marshall - Not Guilty

vinsjets · Aug 14, 2009

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/denver-115770.html

Denver Broncos' Marshall acquitted in Fulton abuse case
Denver Bronco wide receiver Brandon Marshall was acquitted of two counts of simple battery by a Fulton County jury Friday.

The jury decided Marshall did not beat up his former girlfriend, Rasheedaj Watley, last year.

Jurors listened to closing arguments Friday afternoon in the trial. Marshall?s attorney argued that there is overwhelming doubt and that it was ?he said, she said? incident.

Marshall?s attorney Harvey Steinberg said Watley was only after the NFL player?s money.

?When is she going to leave him alone? It gives her life purpose, meaning and something different,? Steinberg said.

Fulton County solicitor Jamie Mack argued that Watley has been a victim of domestic violence throughout their three-year relationship.

Mack accused Marshall of repeatedly exercising control over Watley, through violence, intimidation and financially. Mack denied defense attorneys? accusations that the victim is only after money.

?Why didn?t she leave him? She loves him and she couldn?t afford to,? Mack said.

Marhsall did not testify on his own behalf.

The acquittal will go a long way in determining Marshall?s future in the NFL. Marshall has already been suspended for a day last year for violating the NFL?s personal conduct policy, and a conviction would have resulted in a lengthy suspension.

Watley testified Marshall had assaulted her several times and then would throw her out of the condominium where they both lived. The last time, Watley testified, she wanted him to leave the condo instead of her. She said she needed time to find another place to live, which would be hard because she was a student and didn?t have a job.

The charges were brought in the March 4, 2008 fight when she sought a temporary protective order. According to photographs taken when the next day, her lip was busted on the inside, she had bruises and scratches on her neck and her arm was scratched.

?I wanted him to stay away from me ... because of what he?s done in the past,? Watley said.

She testified that he had blackened her eye in previous arguments. Watley said once she was cut so badly, she needed stitches.

She sobbed several times during her testimony and frequently glanced at Marshall, who did not look at her.

Watley testified that she didn?t know why she stayed in the relationship despite the abuse. ?I was stupid. I loved him,? Watley testified.

An expert in domestic violence said it was common for a victim to stay with their abuser and to try to fix things after a battering.

To the contrary, however, Watley was portrayed as volatile, the instigator and a gold digger.

One of defense lawyers focused on a letter Watley?s previous lawyer wrote, demanding $500,000 from Marshall.

And a police officer testified Watley was ?loud? and ?boisterous? in an incident at the Denver airport on March 7, 2008, when the couple returned to Colorado. Officer Matthew Graves testified the fight was over her demand that Marshall buy her a ticket to immediately go back to Atlanta. Graves said she stood in front of his car when he tried to drive away, even though he had bought ticket.

Atlanta psychiatrist Byron Evans, who treated Marshall in a substance abuse program at Morehouse College, said he found Watley to be volatile and angry while Marshall was calm in two therapy sessions he had with both of them.

Evans said the NFL sent Marshall to his program. Evans testified that he asked Marshall to bring Watley to two of their sessions.

?My impression was that she would initiate the physical [confrontation],? Evans testified. ?He wanted to talk, resolve things verbally. But she escalated the session.?

He testified that she became angry, yelled, cursed and left the session, slamming the door behind her.

?He was calm,? Evans said. ?He was angry at her but he wasn?t yelling and screaming at her.?

Marshall has had other instances of alleged violence involving women in Atlanta, where he lives during the off-season, and in Colorado.

Earlier this year, Atlanta police responded to a domestic dispute call involving the Pro Bowl receiver and his now-fiance. Police officers arrested Marshall and Michi Nogami-Campbell when they saw two repeatedly kick and punch each other. The disorderly conduct charges against both were dismissed.

According to an article in the Rocky Mountain news last summer, deputies were called to Marshall?s suburban house ?about 11? times in two-and-a-half years. He was arrested one of those times but the charges were dismissed after he completed anger management counseling.
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Inafalcs · Aug 14, 2009

I hope the FO makes some moves now

Don · Aug 14, 2009

Inafalcs said: ↑

I hope the FO makes some moves now
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AJC: Brandon Marshall - Not Guilty

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AJC: Brandon Marshall - Not Guilty

vinsjets Active Member

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Don 2008 TGG Rich Kotite "Least Knowledgeable" Award W

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