University Releases Statement About Husker Football Player Investigation

The University of Nebraska has released an updated statement regarding Husker running back, Maurice Washington. A judge on Thursday signed a warrant for Washington’s arrest in California on charges of “revenge porn” and possession of child pornography. Washington is accused of keeping and sending a video of his ex-girlfriend’s reported sexual assault in 2016 when she was 15.

The following is a statement from the University of Nebraska: “On September 13, 2018, the UNL Police Department informed the Nebraska Athletic Department that the Nebraska Attorney General’s office was seeking to talk to Maurice Washington. UNLPD also provided contact information for Jamie Vaughn, Executive Associate Athletic Director-Compliance, to the Nebraska Attorney General’s office. UNLPD did not know the nature of the inquiry.

On September 13, Vaughn spoke with Ed Sexton in the Nebraska Attorney General’s office. He was told that the Nebraska Attorney General’s office was cooperating with a California agency and that Sexton wished to speak to Maurice Washington on their behalf. Sexton noted Maurice Washington was not in any trouble in Nebraska, and would not say if Washington was the subject of the inquiry of the California agency, a witness to a matter being investigated or anything related to the nature of why the California agency wished to speak with Washington. Vaughn stated he would look into the possibility of arranging for an interview. Vaughn had no further conversations with the Nebraska Attorney General’s office and Washington retained an attorney. Following department protocol, Vaughn informed Bob Burton, Deputy Athletic Director-Chief of Staff, and Athletic Director Bill Moos of the conversation with the Nebraska Attorney General’s office.
Given the request was coming from the Nebraska Attorney General’s office and the unknown nature of the inquiry, Football program staff introduced Maurice Washington to Jon Bruning, a former Nebraska Attorney General. Bruning had a long-standing friendship with Matt Davison, Associate Athletic Director-Football, and Head Coach Scott Frost preceding either’s employment at the University of Nebraska. Nebraska Football staff were clear to both Bruning and Washington that Washington had to be treated as a normal client and billed appropriately. Any additional questions related to the attorney-client relationship should be addressed to Bruning.

Coach Frost had subsequent communication with Bruning to determine whether the Football program needed to be concerned with the issue or take any action. Bruning did not share the nature of the inquiry due to attorney-client privilege, but noted it involved a text message from when Washington was in California and he doubted it would result in criminal charges.
No additional details on this issue were provided to anyone in the Nebraska Athletic department until an inquiry on Friday, February 8, 2019 when Michael Bott, a reporter for NBC Bay Area contacted the University noting, ‘We will be reporting soon that a University of Nebraska football player is facing felony child pornography charges, as well as misdemeanor charges related to California’s ‘revenge porn’ statute.’ Later on February 8, Bott identified the player as Maurice Washington. This was the first time any reference to the nature of these charges was known to University officials.

Maurice Washington was not enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in March of 2018, and did not enroll until the fall 2018 semester.”