Florida State defends how it handled Winston case

[alp227]

Source: AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State University released a document Friday defending its handling of the sexual assault investigation of quarterback Jameis Winston and detailing its own timeline of events.

The university said in a statement it was publicly releasing the series of events since the incident in December 2012 because of "misinformation in the media." The university didn't name Winston in the release, but referred to allegations against "a prominent athlete."

"The University has remained silent for one reason: To protect our students, who are after all our highest priority," the statement read. "But as we expect other stories to appear, it is abundantly clear that the continual drumbeat of misinformation about the University's actions causes harm to our students, faculty, alumni, supporters and the FSU community as a whole. Because of this, and within the constraints of state and federal privacy laws, we want to share with you more detail to set the record straight."

Florida State said the only people aware of the incident before January 2013 were Tallahassee police, campus police and the Victims Advocate Program. The program is not required to share information with school officials as a way to help victims. The athletics department decided not to file a report with the university's Title IX administrator after Winston's lawyer said the Tallahassee Police Department was "no longer pursuing the case" and Winston and his roommates said the sex was consensual.

Read more: http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/florida-state-defends-how-it-handled-winston-case

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Full FSU statement: http://titleix.fsu.edu/statements/

[Blue_Tires]

1. Like I said at the start

FSU's "internal investigation" was just to protect their asses and make their previous cover-up airtight...

[Stuart G]

2. I agree, but this has hit the fan.

There is so much flying around now, no one knows where it will end up. This Winston fellow is the same one who won the "Heisman Trophy" He isn't just any student athlete. He is one of FSU's greatest "student athletes"

[Blue_Tires]

4. There may be a lot flying around, but at the end of the day

no one is losing their jobs, and Winston isn't missing any more games...

[Mister Nightowl]

3. NYT: At Florida State, Football Clouds Justice

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The 911 call could not have sounded more urgent: A man was beating a woman holding a baby outside their apartment as she tried to leave.

“You just need to get someone out here right away because it is really bad,” the caller said, adding that the man was “punching” the mother and “grabbing the little baby around the arm.”

By the time the police arrived shortly after 3 a.m. one day last January, the couple were back inside. The 19-year-old woman acknowledged that she and her boyfriend had argued, and that he had not wanted her to leave. But she insisted nothing physical had occurred.

Officers responding to a domestic violence call have a legal duty to investigate thoroughly, seek written statements from witnesses and from the victim, instruct the victim on how to seek help and, finally, forward their report to the local domestic abuse crisis center. But, according to their brief report on the episode, the officers did none of that.

They did, however, find the case significant enough to notify their sergeant — “due to the fact that it was an F.S.U. football player,” the report said. The sergeant, a Florida State University sports fan, signed off on it and the complaint was filed away as “unfounded.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/us/florida-state-football-casts-shadow-over-tallahassee-justice.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LedeSum&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

[kairos12]

5. In this case the priority was not the woman, but the Heisman.

[7962]

6. UGA suspended their lead guy on just a rumor.

Winston has plenty of signed stuff out there too; why doesnt FSU investigate that and bench HIM?

[Calista241]

14. Todd Gurley (the Georgia guy) was on video signing jerseys and taking money.

That apparently does not exist in the Winston situation. Someone walked into this same guy's memorabilia store, and found a bunch of jerseys and footballs that had a Jameis Winston signature on them.

Since the guy is a Florida booster, (who Florida State plays later this year, and FSU / Florida is a fairly big rivalry) one would think he'd be more than happy to throw Winston under the bus like he did Todd Gurley.

This whole Todd Gurley situation is rather slimy. The guy approached Gurley with the express intent of getting him to commit a disqualifying act and then exposing him. He did this to ensure Gurley wasn't available to play against Florida later this year.

[7962]

20. Gurley is NOT on tape accepting money. Only signing items

Thats why this is ridiculous, it's all happening because some dude off the street SAYS he paid him. And only 400.00?
One of the UGA linebackers put it well after Saturdays game when he said (paraphrasing) "If this is the way the NCAA is going to be, I'm not gonna sign anything anywhere for anybody"
And trust me, UF hates UGA more than they hate FSU

[FLPanhandle]

7. The University of Florida suspended their QB immediately after allegations

FSU let their QB play and win the Heisman.

They are feeling the heat of the comparison now and should be embarrassed.

[madville]

10. When all this initially occurred

Winston was a nobody who had never taken a snap when this happened. It didn't come up in the media until almost a year later when he had found the spotlight and his attorney had just rebuffed a $7,000,000 settlement offer from the other party's attorney.

There was nothing to immediately suspend him from when this first occurred because he didn't play back then.

[Calista241]

18. Yes, Winston was a freshman that hadn't even seen the practice field

When the incident occurred. And everyone, EVERYONE, thought Jacob Coker was going to be FSU's starting QB before spring practice last year.

There was zero reason for the cops to sweep this under the rug at the time.

[Iamthetruth]

19. For three days

Now he is back and will play this weekend.

[csziggy]

8. Florida State - this is WHY the case should have been investigated

Rather than take the word of one side ("Winston and his roommates said the sex was consensual&quot if the case had been properly investigated from the very beginning there would be no questions now.

Thorough investigations work to clear the innocent as well as to get justice for the victims. If Winston were innocent of the charges, he deserved an investigation to prove that. If he weren't the victim deserved to see him get punished. As it is, neither will get justice - the case will forever be a "he said, she said" case with no way to prove who was telling the truth or what really happened.

As a graduate of FSU I am embarrassed by the university's actions. I've always hated the emphasis on the big money sports and this is just one reason why. This has only added to the tarnish that sports puts on FSU's image.

[csziggy]

13. Many colleges and universities have their own police

That are supposed to investigate crimes before they turn over the cases to the local police. In far too many cases, the primary interest of the campus police is to protect the interests of the college or university, NOT getting justice for victims of crimes.

In the FSU case, this was clearly what happened. The campus police did almost no investigation, just interviewed the men involved and took their claims over the accusations of the woman. The Tallahassee police were not involved right away and by the time they and the State Attorney's Office got the case, any possible evidence was gone or corrupted.

Yes, in many places, campus police HAVE police powers.

More on the FSU campus police:

The Florida State University Police Department is dedicated to supporting the educational mission of the Florida State University by striving to create and maintain the safest possible environment for its students, staff, and visitors. This includes a proactive approach to law enforcement, and aggressive problem-solving techniques for identified crime trends. The Florida State University Police Department received accreditation in 2002 from the Commission on Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc. The Florida State University Police Department employs sixty-seven sworn law enforcement officers for the main and Panama City campuses.

The Florida State University Police Department is the third-largest law enforcement agency in Leon County, providing 24-hour protection for more than 40,000 students, faculty, and staff. We cover the 450-acre Tallahassee campus, along with University Facilities in outlying areas, such as properties within the Capital District and Innovation Park.

We have 67 sworn officers, including a Motorcycle Unit of 5 Officers, and a Bicycle Unit of 12 Officers. Our Communications Unit, Security Guards, Public Safety Officers and administrative staff are also integral to our department.

All Sworn Officers are certified under state law and receive mandatory continuing education training in areas of “rapid response, active shooter” and other law enforcement related topics on a regular basis.
http://www.police.fsu.edu/organization

They have more officers than the Capital Police that protect the state government officials and offices.

[Calista241]

15. The incident occurred off campus where the FSU campus Police do not have jurisdiction.

The Tampa police then took the lead on the investigation and it died with them.

[csziggy]

16. Tampa police? I had not followed the case until it re-opened

After living in Tallahassee for over 40 years, I avoid FSU football like I would Ebola. Plus the year it happened I had three major surgeries and wasn't following much of anything.

You're right - the Tallahassee Police and State Attorney are the ones who screwed the case up. I doubt that the FSU police would have done any better, though. Having dealt with them while going to FSU and having interviewed for a job with them, I have no respect for them as law enforcement.

[Calista241]

17. You're right, Tallahassee police and not Tampa.

I was geographically challenged there for a minute.

[L0oniX]

9. Could you say that the puppets are assisting felonies?