The family of a woman claiming to have been sexually assaulted by Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston released a second statement Friday night as the state attorney’s office takes time to determine whether or not to bring charges on the Heisman Trophy favorite.
“To be clear, the victim did not consent,” a statement by a lawyer representing the accuser’s family said, according to an ESPN.com report. “This was a rape.”
As previously reported, Winston’s DNA was linked to a sample provided by a woman claiming to have been sexually violated last December. The odds made it a near certainty Winston and the woman did have some sort of sexual interaction, although whether there was consent could not be proven by the DNA test alone. Tim Jansen, an attorney representing Winston claims there was consent, but the attorney representing the alleged victim, Patricia Carroll, is taking the opposite stance.
“Jansen stated that the DNA leak damaged his client’s reputation,” Carroll wrote. “Why would a consensual encounter damage his client’s reputation? However, a rape would certainly damage his client’s reputation. The ‘consent defense’ is too little too late and is clearly reactive damage control by Jansen after learning the DNA matched his client.”
Carroll also questions the procedures and methods of Tallahassee police responding to the alleged sexual crime. She is not alone given some of the information about this story continuing to come to public knowledge.
As it stands right now, Winston has not been charged with any crime. His status with Florida State’s football program remains unchanged. Florida State plays Idaho at home Saturday and is inching closer to a spot in the BCS Championship Game. As long as Winston remains eligible, the Seminoles have a very good shot to reach Pasadena to compete for a BCS championship.
