Williams was booked April 29 for burglary and aggravated assault charges.
She pleaded not guilty on May 6 and
a hearing was set for June 6. (article) She either posted a bond, or was released on her on recognizance until June 6. It's possible for her attorney to have this case continued until AFTER the WNBA season is finished if he/she makes that motion to the court, and the DA does not object (agrees) to it.
Usually the two attorneys agree on this BEFORE the defense attorney makes that motion to the court.
I'm sure you're familiar with our judicial system. No one can begin to serve time in a correctional facility unless/until they either plead or are found guilty by trial. That has not happened yet in her case. It appears the Sparks are giving her the benefit of the doubt, and allowing her to play until this case has been adjudicated.
There's no guarantee she'll do any jail time at all. There may not be a trial. Her attorney may work a "deal" with the DA where she gets probation for x number of years, pay a modest fine, and completes X number of anger management classes by a certain date. Jail time in her case
is not a sure thing.
It depends on what the DA's office (not the bench officer) wants or is willing to accept to adjudicate this case. If the two attorneys can find a
"happy medium" that both sides are willing to accept, the bench office usually goes along with it. On the other hand, the DA might insist on some jail time. That remains to be seen.
This is an example of talent trumping character. There may be other WNBA teams that would do the same, and some that would not. That final decision (I would think) would ultimately fall on the owner of the team.
