Wetteland Living Life to an Extreme. Rangers spokesman John Blake said because this is an ongoing criminal case, the club has no comment. John Wetteland, they asked him to . Wetteland leaned back in his chair as the man described the abuse. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, Vividseats: Official Ticketing Partner of New York Post, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Former Yankee John Wetteland gets trial date in child sex abuse case, Yankees World Series MVP shocked by child sex abuse charges, Yankees World Series closer indicted on child-sex charges, Ex-Yankee sexually abused boy between ages 4 and 6: officials. Wetteland was elected to the Rangers Hall of Fame in 2005 and held a coaching and front office position with the team in the early 2000s. Wetteland was initially arrested in January 2019 on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14. He was arrested in 2019 and charged with three counts of aggravated assault of a child. Kaley Johnson. The man called the abuse weird and gross, but said his navet and young age prevented him from understanding it was wrong. The details of the case involve allegations of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14.. The CBS affiliate in Texas reported that when officers arrived at the home, Wetteland emerged, saying he needed help.. This is either a case of a terrible situation involving someone motivated by money, or Wetteland sexually assaulting a kid, if he is found guilty. Nationals manager Frank Robinson fired Wetteland after only six months. Nationals manager Frank Robinson eventually said enough is enough and fired Wetteland in June 2006. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Mark Smith is the Digital Editor of The Cross Timbers Gazette. Prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the case last week, and Judge Lee Ann Breading granted the motion. It was the teams first title in 18 years, and his performance earned Wetteland World Series MVP honors. He pleaded not guilty to the three counts of aggravated sexual . Each of these three acts occurred while they were in the master bathroom shower located at [his] residence.. 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Wetteland retired after the 2000 season. Before joining the Rangers as a closer, Wetteland spent two seasons with the New York Yankees and three each with the Expos and Dodgers. The man told jurors he wanted the allegations of abuse to be kept private and never intended to tell anyone of the assault. John and Michele met while he was playing San Antonio in 1988. DFPS spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said details of the agency's cases are confidential. 0. Wetteland was hired by the Seattle Mariners as a bullpen coach in 2008. The letter, which was typed in Google Docs using his school-issued email, was flagged by administrators, lawyers said. This story was originally published May 13, 2019, 12:08 PM. He wishes they would have protected him from some of the things he experienced, Michele explained in the 1995 article. Dowell said that because of the nature of the offense and the stage of the investigation, he had no further details to release. Once he nearly overdosed on a combination of drugs, including LSD, at a Grateful Dead concert, wrote Curry in a 1995 profile on Wetteland for the New York Times. Maggie Prosser. A Harris County constable said the superintendent appeared to have taken some of the inappropriate images that he sent to undercover officers while he was at work in his office. I wanted closure, and I just wanted two words I wanted an Im sorry and it would have been done for me, he said. 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The former Texas Rangers pitcher, who was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series with the New York Yankees, is no longer the dominant professional athlete with the peculiar, aloof personality. The teamdidn't retain himafter hiring Eric Wedge in November 2010. continuous sexual assault of a child, according to the, Police arrested Wetteland in January. The Associated Press was not able to contact Wetteland or his attorney for comment. About two years later, when the boy was a senior in high school, his mother insisted he relate the abuse in the letter. In order to maintain warm relationships, Wetteland for a time arranged for nannies to join him, his then-wife and their twin daughters as he played on the road, he told jurors at his trial on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child in 462nd District Court in Denton County. By FOX 4 Staff Published August 31, 2022 Denton County FOX 4 DENTON, Texas - The mother of a man who claims he was sexually assaulted as a child by a former Texas Rangers pitcher told a jury about. Denton County Former Rangers Pitcher John Wetteland's Child Sex Assault Trial Starts Monday With Jury Selection Wetteland's attorney says the allegation against the former pitcher is false. We've received your submission. Johns old man has been cast off. The defense called to the witness stand a sister of the boy who told jurors that he sometimes told tall tales and that she did not believe the sexual assault accusations are true. The boys account of the sex acts is a lie, Wetteland testified. Wetteland was. Breading ruled the state could not ask Wetteland about the details of those matters in front of the jury. I talked to John on a number of occasions and told him flat-out what I needed and how I wanted things done. Did that happen when he was 6? Simone asked. The 52-year-old former reliever and 1996 Worl Child sexual assault charges against former Yankees closer John Wetteland have been dismissed after a split decision jury in August led to a mistrial in the case. He testified he was certain he did not want to travel with a team and took an advisory coaching position only when the Rangers agreed to such an arrangement. Wetteland denied he forced a boy to perform oral sex acts on him on three occasions inside a shower in Bartonville. Wetteland who also played for the Rangers from 1997 to 2000 after a two-year stint with the Yanks was living in Texas at the time of the alleged abuse. 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He is innocent, and he is looking forward to his day in court. A Child Protective Services investigation was started after a high school counselor reported the letter. Wetteland, who now lives in Trophy Club, is accused of molesting a 4-year-old from 2004 to 2006. Wetteland will either go to prison if he is convicted of sexually assaulting a child, or forever be a guy accused of doing so. He retired from playing at age 33 after his Rangers contract expired during the 2000 offseason. Wetteland recorded 330 saves over the course of his 12-season career, which also included stints with the Dodgers and Expos. The pair were on the same Rangers team in 2000, and both could, and would, recite specific passages from the Bible. John Wetteland is on trial in Denton County. Emerson Clarridge covers crime and other breaking news for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As a pitcher with the Yankees, Wetteland was the closer while his setup man was Mariano Rivera, who went on to become the best relief pitcher in the history of the game. Wetteland, a former three-time All-Star, pitched 12 seasons in the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. In a career spanning 12 yearsfrom 19892000, he pitched for four teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. He was born on August 21, 1966 in San Mateo, California, United States. Wetteland, a born-again Christian, was living in Bartonville at the time and serving on the board of directors for the Calvary Chapel church in Katy. NBC 5 has a policy of protecting the identities of sexual assault victims, so the affidavit and further details about the allegations are not included in this article. If you asked me if I sit here in awe of John and how obedient he has been to Gods word, Id tell you that I do.. Robinson, according to a story in The Washington Post, was sick of Wettelands penchant for encouraging pranks and fooling around.. Wetteland earned three All-Star nods in a 12-year career. He worked the next year as a Bible teacher and assistant baseball coach at Liberty Christian in Argyle. If Wetteland is innocent, those who accused him defy reason and merit special punishment. Hes a 52-year-old man accused of repeatedly molesting a kid. The victim was 16 in 2016 when he told his mother and his mothers partner of the sexual abuse that he said occurred between 2004 and 2006. He played for the Rangers for 4 seasons from 1997 to 2000, making the AL All-Star team twice. Its too good to be true because its not true.. He trudged on. Wetteland was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2005. Former Department of Family and Protective Services investigator Kendra Luttrell said the letter was consistent with what he told a forensic interviewer.Forensic interviewer, Kim Kunz, who talked to the relative at a local Childrens Advocacy Center, said he was articulate and descriptive about the abuse. Former MLB reliever John Wetteland was indicted by a grand jury Thursday on three charges ofcontinuous sexual assault of a child, according to the Associated Press. At least with the Texas Rangers, Wetteland also had a terrible reputation among members of the media who covered the team. If Wetteland is guilty, he is the lowest form. The Denton County District Attorneys Office intends to bring former Texas Rangers pitcher John Wetteland to another jury trial in his child sex abuse case, unless a plea deal is reached. She said he struggled to speak and cut his body for years before making an outcry. One jurors mouth was agape throughout the testimony; other jurors brows were furrowed. Wetteland lives in the Dallas-area suburb of Trophy Club. Former Texas Rangers pitcher John Wetteland, who is accused of sexually assaulting a child, exits the courtroom for a recess in Denton County Courthouse on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. Wetteland was hired to be the bullpen coach of the Washington Nationals in 2006. Following his arrest, Wetteland posted a $25,000 bond and was released from custody. While Wetteland did not speak to me or the other reporter present Monday, I asked Adame this question: Why would someone accuse a person of such a heinous act if it is not true? Wetteland is 56 and lives in Trophy Club. He did not enter. To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript! Wetteland, 56, was accused by a relative, according to The Dallas Morning News.The child said the pitcher who played for four teams over a 12-year career in the majors forced him to perform a sex . Prosecutors argued to Judge Lee Ann Breading that Wettelands testimony opened the door for them to explore on cross-examination topics that legally would have been otherwise kept from jurors. He is one of the best relief pitchers in the history of the Rangers. Raised in Columbus, she's a graduate of Ohio University, where she studied journalism. After retiring, he served as a coach for the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners. Youll see the other side has plenty to gain, Adame said. ", The Rangers, with whom Wetteland has no current role, issued a statement Tuesday saying they "have been made aware of this situation and have no further comment. He claimed in a statement that the circumstances leading to my elevated blood pressure and heart rate had been addressed. He also allegedly tried to disassemble a video camera. Wetteland was on January 15, 2019 arrested on child sex abuse charges, and released from jail on $25,000 bond. He was also a devout Christian, much like his Rangers teammate, outfielder Chad Curtis. The iconic image of that championship was Wetteland in the arms of catcher Joe Girardi with a fist raised in the air as the Yankee Stadium crowd exploded with joy. Jurors eyes were fixed on the mans weeping mother as she left the courtroom, tissue pressed to her cheek. The life he knows and built will likely hinge on a verdict of his peers, next year. If the jury finds him guilty, Wetteland faces a prison term of 25 years to life on each count. According to a biography published by the Seattle Mariners, Wetteland spent three seasons as a roving pitching coordinator for the Texas Rangers beginning in 2002. To John on a verdict of his senior year without the weight of it, she said he to. From 1997 to 2000, and would, recite specific passages from the Bible jail records in 2006 and. Updates and all local stories you want right in the history of the investigation, he served as Bible. 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