Florida State quarterback and Heisman Trophy frontrunner Jameis Winston will not be charged with sexual assault in connection with the alleged rape of a 19-year-old woman in an off-campus apartment.
Willie Meggs, the state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit, made the announcement at a news conference on Thursday.
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“We’ve carefully examined all the evidence in this case and have concluded that
no charges will be filed against anyone in this case,” he said, as reported by ESPN.com.
“We have a duty as prosecutors to determine if each case has a reasonable likelihood of conviction,” he added. “After reviewing the facts in this case, we do not feel that we can reach those burdens.”
Winston, according to WFLAFM, released a statement after the decision was announced that read, “I want to thank my family, friends, coaches, and teammates for standing by me during a difficult time. I also want to thank the State Attorney’s Office for examining all of the facts and reaching a decision in a conclusive manner. It’s been difficult to stay silent through this process, but I never lost faith in the truth and in who I am. I am very relieved I’ll be able to continue my education at Florida State and I’m excited I can now get back to helping our team achieve its goals.”
According to a search warrant affidavit obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat, police said the woman recalled getting into a taxi with a “non-descript” black male and entering an apartment, where the man took off his clothes and raped her. She said that at some point, a black man with dreadlocks walked in and told the other man to stop, but the suspect led her into a bathroom where “he completed the act.”
ESPN had earlier reported that DNA discovered in the accuser’s underwear matched Winston’s. The football star’s lawyer said the two had consensual sex, but her attorney insisted she was raped.
Twitter was buzzing with comments after the announcement that charges would not be filed.
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