Ocmulgee Judicial Court district attorney Frederic D. Bright has called a press conference for Monday afternoon at 2:00 pm where he will announce his decision on the investigations into whether Ben Roethlisberger sexually assaulted a young woman in a Georgia nightclub.

Bright has three choices:

• Issue an arrest warrant for Roethlisberger and prosecute
• Turning the case over to a Grand Jury
• Announce he will not charge Roethlisberger

Upon hearing that a decision had been reached but that the announcement was delayed, my immediate reaction was “this means he is going to prosecute.”

Many if not most on the internet share that reaction.

Why call a press conference for what amounts to an non-action? There seems no plausible reason.

However, if Bright has decided to take action the logic of waiting is clear.

• As a DA, he gets the full spot light
• He also has time to get all of his pre-trial motions in order

This is the general consensus of opinion on the net.

Alternative Explanation in the Tribune-Review

However, Carl Prine of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has provided Steelers Nation with an alternative explanation. Carl Prine does excellent work and always investigates stories thoroughly.

While the source he cites is not connected to the case nor does this person claim special knowledge. But he is top criminal lawyer, who is familiar with Georgia law. Steel Curtain Rising generally tries to avoid stealing the thunder of journalists who’ve worked hard to get a good story.

So we will offer no further details here, other than to recommend you check out Prine’s story.

ESPN Report

ESPN.com is also running a story where they report that they have confirmed through sources that Ben Roethlisberger will not be charged.

Leaks are the life blood of journalism, and it is quite possible that the story is legit.

But there has also been a lot of misinformation circulating, so prudence would strongly caution against counting chickens.

Long Weekend for Ben, Steelers

Who knows how Ben Roethlisberger will spend the weekend. But regardless of the ESPN report you can wager your mortgage payment or your child’s college tuition that he will not be frequenting any bars with VIP clubs during the weekend.

This is also going to be a tense time for the Steelers brain trust. But the Steelers are fortunate that the will have some decision and some clarity before the draft.

If Ben is not charged, they’ve clearly got some issues to work out with their 100 million dollar signal caller. But by the same token, if he is not charged, Ben will be standing under center for them in 2010.

But if he is charged or if the case is turned over to a Grand Jury, the can be sure that Roethlisberger will miss part or more likely all of the 2010 season. This will allow them to operate accordingly, which could even include how they approach the draft….