KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri will not allow Derrick Washington to return to the Tigers’ football team, even though there has been no resolution made public of a class C felony charge for deviate sexual assault against Washington.
In response to questions from The Kansas City Star before that decision was made public, the Missouri athletic department sent an e-mail confirmation, saying:
“”Derrick Washington has been permanently suspended from the University of Missouri football program. Nothing about this decision will affect his existing athletic scholarship as long as he remains enrolled at Mizzou.””
The release said university officials would have no further comment.
Washington, a running back, was the Tigers’ top ground gainer the past two seasons.
Bogdon Susan, an attorney with the Columbia, Mo., firm representing Washington, said he would have to reserve comment for later because he had not seen the statement nor officially been informed of the decision.
Sarah Washington, Derrick Washington’s mother, e-mailed The Star that:
“”We heard right after the suspension that his locker was cleaned out but his scholarship has not been pulled. Coach (Gary) Pinkel or coach (Andy) Hill would have informed us of that if so.””
Reflecting that the decision was in the process of being made, Chad Moller, MU assistant athletic director for media relations, texted The Star early Wednesday: “”Efforting in progress.””
The Star left messages for athletic director Mike Alden, on his office answering machine and on the answering machine of his executive assistant, but did not receive a comment from Alden.
The “”efforting”” apparently involved final sign-on by school legal representatives. By 11:30 a.m., Moller e-mailed the Missouri statement to The Star, confirming Washington would not be allowed to return to the football team.
Susan was asked about this pre-emptive move possibly leaving the university open to a lawsuit. He would not comment on that possibility.
According to a Boone County court order of protection, Washington is alleged to have sexually assaulted a former Missouri student in her apartment on the morning of June 19.
A statement released by Susan’s law office said Washington was never served and provided notice that an order of protection was sought and never had the opportunity to respond to the accusations in the application for the order of protection. The civil order of protection case was dismissed when neither the accuser nor Washington appeared in court to extend or reject it.
Last Thursday, Pinkel announced he had indefinitely suspended Washington — a team captain and the Tigers’ starting tailback — without detailing the reason. On Monday, Pinkel again declined to discuss the specifics of the suspension.
According to Missouri athletic department policy, an athlete charged with a felony cannot be reinstated to his team until the charge is resolved. The arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 23, meaning Washington definitely would not play in the team’s first three games this season.
Missouri’s decision on Wednesday means Washington’s college football career at Missouri is over, no matter the resolution of the legal charges against him.
