EXCLUSIVE

Venus Williams Deposition 'All I Saw Was A Green Light' ... But She Told Cops Light Was 'Turning'

Venus Williams insisted to lawyers the traffic light was "always" green as she drove across the intersection where she had the fatal car accident -- but that doesn't match up with what she told police on the scene.

TMZ Sports obtained a portion of Venus' recorded deposition in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against her by Jerome Barson's family. During the depo, taken Nov. 9, Venus repeatedly says she only saw a green light. If true ... it would mean the Barsons, traveling perpendicular to Venus, had run a red light when they t-boned Venus.

The potential problem for Venus is that's not how witnesses remember it, and it's not even how Venus remembered it while talking to Palm Beach Gardens PD. Body cam footage shows her saying, "As I was going to start again, I saw that the light was turning red." The exchange begins at 40 seconds.

If Venus saw the light turning red, that would mean the Barsons did have a green light as they proceeded through the intersection. In fact, according to the police investigation, witnesses said the Barsons DID have a green.

As we reported, the police cleared Venus of any criminal wrongdoing in the accident -- saying neither party was to blame.

Meanwhile, the wrongful death suit is moving forward and likely headed for court where a jury will have to decide if Venus was negligent as she crossed the intersection.

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