FSU quarterback Jameis Winston was accused of rape in 2012. The subsequent "investigation" was concluded without charges ever being filed, but now that investigation is being investigated. The alleged victim's attorney has called into question the integrity of the proceedings, and now it seems that the university is under the microscope. Independent Federal investigators are now looking into whether campus officials, as well as Tallahassee police, hampered the original police investigation of the former Heisman Trophy winner's case.
Reportedly, Fox Sports did some digging into the Jameis Winston rape allegation, the investigation of which concluded in December 2013. Among their findings: Tallahassee police apparently sent reports to Florida State Police chief as well as FSU's athletic department, eventually allowing Winston's attorney to interrogate to witnesses prior to state attorney Willie Meggs receiving notice of the allegations (via New York Post).
This head start prevented a proper investigation by would be prosecutors.
The Fox Sports report also revealed that campus officials actually misled the press, implying that Winston wasn't being investigated when he was (is lying too strong a word?)
What's more, not only did campus officials allegedly try to cover up the scandal, but Winston wasn't interviewed by school officials (a requirement under Title IX) until January of this year, even though the allegation was supposedly made in 2012 just hours after it was said to have occurred.
Though Winston's attorneys claim he is innocent, there appear to have been numerous institutional failures following the initial claim.
If Winston was innocent, why would local police and university officials deliberately tamper with due process and compromise the integrity of their fact finding? The only motive to obscure the facts would seem to be a scheme to protect the school's image and a star athlete.
What do you think?
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