As previously posted, Michael Crabtree was recently interviewed by police following an allegation of sexual assault following the 49ers win over the Green Bay Packers. In light of this news, 49ers GM Trent Baalke released a statement concerning the situation:
"We are aware of the allegation against Michael and understand that he has fully cooperated with authorities. The 49ers take such matters very seriously. We will have no further comment at this time as the legal process is ongoing. Additional requests for comment should be directed to Michael's attorney."
It has been confirmed by beat writers that Michael Crabtree is with the team in Atlanta and is expected to play on Sunday against the Falcons. San Francisco police interviewed Crabtree with his lawyer present at some point in the last week, and Crabtree has agreed to make himself available for possible further interviews.
In the meantime, the police will continue their investigation into the situation. The San Francisco Police Department's Special Victims' Unit is investigating the allegations and will compile whatever they see fit to potentially present to the District Attorney's office. The police do not have to necessarily present the case to the DA if they do not see enough to proceed. However, if they do turn the results of their investigation over to the DA's office, that office will then review it to determine if they should press charges against any parties.
While there is plenty to discuss, without further information, it really is best to avoid speculating what may or may not have happened and who may or may not be at fault. We know Crabtree spoke with the police, but was not detained or arrested, and is connected to a sexual assault investigation. Sexual assault is a general term that covers a variety of crimes up to and including rape. There were some questions about what it encompassed. In California, all rapes are sexual assaults, but not all sexual assaults are rapes.