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OK folks…this is a difficult and sensitive post to write. It was announced today in Tallahassee by the Attorney General that Jameis Winston would not face criminal charges in the alleged sexual assault case that has been hanging over his head and the cloud that has hung over the FSU program for quite awhile…since December 2012 to be exact. Gee…I need to think about what I say here I think. My daughter is a FSU grad…very loyal to her Noles and she has been texting me all day! I was at Padriacs (my blog sponsor) having a late afternoon lunch/dinner and the texts were coming in droves. What can you say? Was anyone really surprised by the decision that came down in Tallahassee today? I was not. The consensus is that the alleged victim was not credible and that lapses in her memory make it impossible to compel a criminal case of rape against star QB Winston. Well, OK…let’s wait and see what the public records show regarding her exam at the hospital after the “incident”. Also, who would have expected the two male witnesses to the “consensual sexual encounter” to testify against Winston? At the end of the day, this story is ugly, just like I have said before on numerous occasions. She was drinking but by the time she went to the hospital, her blood alcohol content was not above the legal limit. It probably was earlier. The DNA on her shorts was her boyfriend’s DNA. She did not want to identify him. The DNA on her underwear was that of Winston’s. So…gee…this is really gross. The fact that two males witnessed the encounter between her and Jameis Winston is perplexing and gross. Still, was it consensual or rape? We will likely NEVER know. That is the TRUTH! Meanwhile, he will likely win the Heisman, after all there are no other strong candidates. If based on performance on the field, he wins hands down. Manziel, Mariota, and others have dropped off in consideration. Lynch of Northern Illinois just does not play for a big enough program. If there were closer candidates, he might drop in consideration inspite of today’s press conference. But, he will probably win the Heisman, FSU will probably play for the National title. Still, he will lose some votes, and a cloud still hangs overhead. No one wants to see a young man go to jail for rape and have his life ruined if he is innocent. The accuser has seen her life change forever. She wanted to let this go…move on and then a reporter leaked the story, her family and an attorney got involved and she cannot ever return to school at FSU. This a college town and the police mangled this whole case from the beginning. I am familiar with the inadequacies of Florida Law Enforcement (see my book Surviving “Paradise), but is this any different from any other small college football town? Probably not. Will she now pursue civil charges? Time will tell. The burden of proof is lower, Winston would be required to testify. This is all in the future. The present is now and Winston is free and clear of this burden. He can continue to play and pursue the dream of winning a National Championship at FSU.
Many ESPN commentators have criticized the “jovial” nature of today’s press conference. I thought it was a bit “snarky”. The TPD handled this case badly, it could have and should have been resolved earlier this year. This complaint was filed in December of 2012. This could have been over by March of this year. It was not and has become a UGLY story..no matter the outcome today. Why did two male witnesses watch a sexual encounter between these two individuals? Why did she consider it rape and he consider it “consensual sex”? This is the whole murky dilemma of “date rape”. We used to consider rape as a situation where someone jumped out of the bushes and attacked you. That is no longer the case. In today’s world, men are accused with reckless abandon. Still, there is something about this case, and certainly the way in which it was handled that just seems “OFF”. Non the less, as of today, Winston is free and clear of any criminal charges.
In other and perhaps highly more significant news…Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of 95. What a great human being. So, we turn our attention to the passing of a true hero, a man who fought for equality and dignity and turn away from the ugliness that was (and perhaps still is) in Tallahassee.
This weekend the conference championship games will go on! Pac 12 – Stanford vs. Arizona State: SEC – Auburn vs. Missouri; ACC – FSU vs. Duke (yes, Duke!); Big 10 – Ohio State vs. Michigan State.
In pop culture…advertisements for the movie American Hustle look really, really good. David O. Russell directing with Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner. This should be out December 18th.
