AP

The preliminary hearing has commenced in the criminal case against former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II. As explained by FOX 5 in San Diego, the prosecution may have a problem.

Three of the unnamed witnesses who allegedly had interactions with Winslow under suspicious and/or criminal circumstances could not identify him in court.

Jane Doe 3, a 58-year-old woman, said that a man named “David” entered her property and “dropped his shorts and exposed himself.” However, she could not identify Winslow as the man who committed those acts.

71-year-old Jane Doe 4 heard about Winslow’s arrest while watching the news on TV in early June, and she thought he was the same man who had entered her home a day earlier. She could not confirm in court, however, that Winslow was the man she saw in her home.

Jane Doe 1, a 54-year-old transient, was lured into a Hummer and raped in March. However, she too could not positively identify Winslow as the assailant while testifying in court.

(Coincidentally (or not), the Kellen Winslow who appeared in court on Wednesday doesn’t look much like the Kellen Winslow we’ve become accustomed to seeing over the years. Instead, he looks more like Steve Urkel.)

Another woman who allegedly was raped by Winslow is expected to testify in court on Thursday. If she can’t identify Winslow, it could be difficult for the prosecution to convince the presiding judge that enough evidence exists to justify taking the case to trial. If the victims are unable to identify the attacker at trial, it will be difficult to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.