Report: FSU officials, Tallahassee police interfered with investigation into Jameis Winston rape allegations
Florida State officials and Tallahassee police interfered with the criminal investigation into the rape allegations against FSU’s Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston, according to a lengthy investigative report pieced together from “law enforcement files, emails and other correspondence” by Fox Sports.
According to the report, both administrators at the university and Winston’s attorney, Tim Jansen, had a “head start” on the state attorney’s office in Tallahassee – an office responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious crimes, including sexual assault. School officials reportedly had the police reports relating to the alleged December 2012 incident on Nov. 8, 2013, which was “at last four days before State Attorney Willie Meggs was handed the case.”
Meggs said the fact that Winston’s attorney somehow had copies of the police report was a strong challenge in the way of a proper investigation from the state attorney. Meggs said that enabled Jansen begin “preparing for a case before we even knew there’s a case.”
Additionally, two of Winston’s teammates who said they witnessed the incident – Chris Casher, Winston’s roommate, and Ronald Darby – discussed the case with Jansen and “signed affidavits … backing the quarterback’s version of the incident” before officers were able to speak with them.
The report also alludes to high-ranking officers within the campus police deterring reporters from seeking information about the allegations against Winston while also keeping FSU administrators updated on the case. One high-ranking officer from campus police told a reporter that the allegations against Winston were simply a “rumor” that he was happy to "dispel."
Winston was never charged in the case due to a lack of evidence, but the school has faced scrutiny for the way it handled the situation and is currently the subject of a Title IX investigation into its handling of the ordeal. Title IX investigations are required by universities in all cases of sexual assault and the school maintains it did not file a formal report because police never charged Winston.
The school released an open letter Friday detailing the timeline and its handling of the case, while one of the accuser’s attorneys, John Clune, wrote in a statement that the letter is “full of errors” and is “preventative damage control.”
In the months after the allegations were made public in Fall 2013, Winston led Florida State to an undefeated season – a season that culminated in a BCS National Championship.
Winston, now a redshirt sophomore, has still not lost a game as a starting quarterback. The top-ranked Seminoles are currently 5-0 and will play Saturday at Syracuse.
For more Florida State news, visit Warchant.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
