A lot of controversy has surrounded Florida State’s quarterback Jameis Winston lately. The starting QB, who redshirted his freshman year, was rated the best high school QB recruit in 2012 and was a frontrunner for the Heisman trophy, until 2012 sexual assault allegations resurfaced.
The Tallahassee police are investigating an accusation of sexual assault against Winston. The complaint was first filed on December 7, 2012, reports ESPN. Winston was not initially named until January 2013. The case was was still open but considered inactive in February. Interim police chief Tom Coe said, “the victim in the case broke off contact with TPD, and her attorney indicated she did not want to move forward at that time.” Winston was never questioned.
The case didn’t receive widespread media attention until a Tampa Bay Times reporter Matt Baker asked the TPD for details of the case in November 2013, according to Deadspin. TMZ was the first outlet to name Winston as the perpetrator, as the police did not name him. TMZ also alleged that the police department specifically attempted to cover up the case.
The Tampa Bay Times then published a story in which the victim said that when she first filed a complaint, the police told her that Tallahassee is a “big football town” and that her life would “be made miserable” if she pursued it any further.
DNA evidence found in the victim’s underwear matches that of Winston. Winston’s attorneys have acknowledged that he had sex with the woman but say it was consensual.
William Meggs, the state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit, plans on continuing to sort through the details of the case. He said, “Everybody wants to know what’s going on. So do we. We’re in the process of trying to figure out what’s going on. We haven’t determined how it’s going to turn out.”