Rasheedah Watley takes on Brandon Marshall in court

Although Brandon Marshall reported to Denver Broncos training camp in July, he's been practically invisible since tweaking his hamstring a few days later -- an injury that's reportedly not serious, prompting speculation that he's milking it to amplify his displeasure at not being traded. This week, however, he had a...

By Michael Roberts

August 12, 2009

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Although Brandon Marshall reported to Denver Broncos training camp in July, he's been practically invisible since tweaking his hamstring a few days later -- an injury that's reportedly not serious, prompting speculation that he's milking it to amplify his displeasure at not being traded. This week, however, he had a better, albeit unpleasant, excuse for remaining out of the public eye. Tomorrow, he'll be at the center of a one-day trial in Atlanta over a March 2008 incident involving his ex-girlfriend, Rasheedah Watley. The misdemeanor battery charge could result in further punishment from the NFL, which has already handed Marshall a one-game suspension over the matter.

As expected, plenty of Broncos fans are willing to forgive Marshall any and all transgressions because he's needed on the field. An example: A caller to ESPN 1600 recently likened Watley to the woman who shot and killed former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair earlier this year -- and host Joe Williams let the comparison stand rather than knocking it down. Blaming the victim clearly hasn't gone out of style. Still, there's no shortage of evidence against BM, as is obvious from an ESPN Outside the Lines presentation from late May, in which Watley told her side of the story. See it, and watch Marshall's on-air defense, by clicking "Continue."

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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