An attorney for Maurice Watson Jr. says he is returning to Omaha from Philadelphia to turn himself in after a warrant was issued Thursday.
Watson is facing a charge of first degree criminal sexual assault. According to the police report, a 19-year-old woman said the suspect had nonconsensual sex with her in the bathroom of a home on Poppleton Avenue around 3 a.m. on Feb. 4.
In a new conference Friday afternoon, a team of lawyers representing Watson say he is innocent.
"Its one of the scariest things in the world as a female is to be concerned about being sexually assaulted," said Mallory Hughes, a criminal defense attorney on Watson's legal team. "But equally scary is a college athlete being accused falsely of sexual assault."
Lead lawyer Stu Dornan says Watson has been in Philadelphia rehabbing his knee after surgery on his ACL. On Thursday,Omaha Police told KMTV that a felony arrest warrant was issued for Watson, Jr for a first degree sexual assault.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says his office decided to follow through with charges after reviewing evidence.
"We filed the charge and we base it on the evidence that was presented to us by the Omaha police department," Kleine said.
Earlier this week, Creighton University notified KMTV and other media outlets that the school had suspended Watson from all athletic-related activities.
Creighton said Watson was suspended for "alleged actions that are contrary to University policies and core values." Watson will not participate in any senior day activities during Creighton's February 28 matchup with St. Johns. Watson's basketball career at Creighton had been over earlier this season because of a knee injury.
