The story is still very muddled, but at least now we know why it sat dormant for almost a year. It was simply the woman changed her mind and didn’t want to press charges.
According to this report Tallahassee.com, the woman changed her mind and then went AWOL.
A December 2012 sexual battery investigation involving Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston came to a halt when the complainant decided she did not want to press charges.
n the email, Favors Thompson said the Tallahassee Police Department followed up on the case referred to it by Florida State University police “against FSU football player Jameis Winston” by a woman who indicated she was intoxicated at a local bar and was taken advantage of while impaired. TPD initiated an investigation and began to interview witnesses and compile details on the case, but stopped getting responses from the woman and could no longer contact her.
“Shortly thereafter a representative of the young woman’s family who is an attorney contacted TPD and said the young woman had changed her mind and did not wish to prosecute,” the email said.
Here is where it is gets interesting.
Once the media started to snoop around the police reached out to the woman again and here is what her lawyer had to say.
Citing Florida’s Rape Shield Law, the attorney asked that no information pertaining to her client or “her rape” be released to the media. She also requested a full copy of the police report as well as copies of all medical and blood toxicology screening records or results.
“To be clear, the victim in the above referenced case is represented by counsel and does not wish to be contacted by anyone other than through counsel,” said the attorney, a former prosecutor now in private practice. The attorney did not return calls for comment Friday or Tuesday.
So, it appears the woman still doesn’t want to pursue the case so why is it still being investigated?
That is interesting as well, because the media snooping around isn’t enough to reactivate a case, the police have to get a piece of new information to reactive it and that is what they are claiming they have.
“Someone integrally involved has (to have) given us a new piece of information,” TPD spokesman David Northway told the Democrat this week. “It has to be someone involved in the case (who) provides a lead to reactivate it.”
So, who gave them the info?
Doesn’t appear to be the alleged victim, but at this point who knows. Hopefully at some point the truth comes out.