The trial of Deshawndre Washington, a former New Mexico State University basketball standout, is set to commence on August 3, 2026, after a series of postponements that have kept the case in the courts for nearly five years.
Legal hurdles and evidence disputes
Washington faces a slate of felonies that includes criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual contact, conspiracy and false imprisonment, allegations that prosecutors say occurred between August and December 2022. A conviction on all counts could carry a prison term exceeding 22 years.
The proceedings have been marred by procedural setbacks. Five rescheduled dates have been scrapped, two of them after the New Mexico Supreme Court rejected emergency writs that sought to halt the case. An additional delay stemmed from the state’s failure to disclose evidence retrieved from a cell phone in 2023, prompting further motions from the defense.
Allegations and victims
The alleged misconduct involved multiple individuals, including teammates Doctor Bradley and Kim Aiken, as well as student managers Deuce Benjamin, Shakiru Odunewu and Kyle Feit. Benjamin and Odunewu were part of an $8 million settlement with New Mexico State University, while Feit continues to pursue a separate lawsuit against the school.
Plea agreements and expected testimony
Bradley and Aiken have entered plea deals that obligate them to testify for the prosecution, detailing a pattern of behavior that allegedly involved several victims. Former players Xavier Pinson, James Beck and former head coach Greg Heiar are also slated to take the stand, adding further layers of testimony that could influence the jury’s view of the case.
Washington’s defense team, led by Houston attorney Antuan Johnson and local counsel Michael Cain, has publicly dismissed the accusations as “horseplay,” a characterization that has done little to quell public scrutiny. As the trial approaches, the courtroom will become a stage where personal histories, athletic reputations and the broader conversation about consent in collegiate sports intersect.