OT: Jameis Winston's DNA linked by police to alleged incident [LOCKED]

Submitted by MikeCohodes on

I don't know how many of you have been following the story of the alleged sexual battery by FSU star QB and Heisman hopeful Jameis Winston, but there is a new, potentially game changing development in the case that has leaked to the press today. Previously, I had been skeptical of the accuser's claims due to the fact that she said her assailant was between 5'9" and 5'11" and Winston is 6'4" but now there's actually some concrete proof that links the two of them to some sort of interaction on the night in question back in 2012. Police have compared DNA taken from Winston to the sample from the accuser's rape kit test, and it is a match. This does not prove whether it was consensual or not, but it does imply that there was some sort of sexual contact between Winston and his accuser.

Where do you think this will go from here? Will charges be filed? Will Winston ultimately wind up getting kicked off of the team? And how incompetent/complicit in a cover up is the Tallahassee PD, waiting 11 months to make this test?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10009077/dna-analysis-matches-jameis-winston-accuser

***EDIT - title edited to make OT per LSA2k's recommendation, and also so that I may clarify that Winston, like all accused of a crime, is innocent until proven guilty.***

MOD EDIT - Some of the comments in this thread are starting to wander into things we shouldn't be discussing on MGoBlog. LSA

gbdub

November 21st, 2013 at 10:16 AM ^

I really wish they'd keep both accuser and accused anonymous in these cases until somebody gets convicted of something, or at least until it goes to trial.

On the one hand, you hate to impugn a guy's character for life as an "accused rapist" if he's innocent, and on the other hand you've got the idiots on the other side pulling the "this bitch is ruining FSU football!" making it tougher for victims to speak out. Both are bad, neither contributes to justice, and both would go away if this stayed anonymous till something actually came of it. Probably not realistic though.

MGoManBall

November 21st, 2013 at 10:30 AM ^

Nobody here knows for sure what happened that night, but I'm almost positive that these allegations are going to shed a negative light on Winston and sway Heisman voters away from him.

EDIT: My point is essentially even if he's innocent, situations like this will drag a person's name through the mud.

Monocle Smile

November 21st, 2013 at 10:29 AM ^

Some of the comments here are pretty decent and/or insightful.

Some are a bit trashy.

Still others (looking at you, Mr/Ms "innocent until proven guilty is bull") are mind-blowingly ignorant.

The most troubling thing is that if the MSM knows about this, the PD has known for quite some time. But I guess we'll see where it goes from here. I find it dishonest to take any kind of STRONG TAEK on stories like this because there are Ben Roethisbergers and Jeremy Hills, and there are also Brian Banks's.

bluebyyou

November 21st, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^

Forgetting about the issues involving the parties involved for a moment, the implications are huge. Hesiman, NC game with Ohio possibly getting a bid should Winston be unavailable all hinge on what decision is made by the prosecutor.  Timing couldn't be worse.

I can't imagine what the victim feels like and the pressure she faces,

First Vanderbilt's rape situation involving several players and now this.  College football is getting some serious black eyes.

 

MichiganMan14

November 21st, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^

Florida game is next week. The girl didnt respark this case. This came from a tipped off reporter who wont give their source from the Tampa Bay Times...a Gator paper. Everyone should refrain from being so naive here. 1. It took a month to identify Jameis? 2. Your initial description is off by 7inches and straight hair? 3. You stop cooperating and want no further part in the investigation of this incident? 4. Case is inactive since Februrary? 5. A "source" and reporter reopen the case against your will? 6. This story is re investigated the day after Oregon loses and Mariotta concedes the Heisman to Jameis? 7. There are photos surfacing of Jameis and the girl after the incident? 8. Why would the police protect a 3rd or 4th string unproven freshman qb looking at the MLB draft? I have vested interest but have attempted to look at this with as much objectivity as possible. Jameis cheated on his girlfriend. He didnt rape this girl. Certain parties have set out on a campaign to tarnish the season of their rival and stop the train of momentum that is FSU football. The more details that come out....the more obvious this is.

TMS-Mr. Ace

November 21st, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^

"1. It took a month to identify Jameis?

2. Your initial description is off by 7inches and straight hair?"

How is this relevant now? The DNA evidence shows they had sexual relations on that evening. 

The family released a statement yesterday addressing why the matter was not pushed forward originally, basically the threat of retaliation, from whoever, if continuing. 

"7. There are photos surfacing of Jameis and the girl after the incident?"

Where are these photos and proof that they were taken after the incident?

So a Florida party is pushing this forward is your belief? And the victim and family is just going along with it? Are you saying the victim/family doesn't believe that Jameis Winston is the suspect, but is going along with that story line? Are we just supposed to ignore everything that has came out from the families attorney?

I think your bias has significantly shaped your view of this.

I Have A Gnarly Face

November 21st, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^

In the world of M fans, we know what will happen. Winston will get suspended, FSU will lose a game, and Ohio will waltz right to their FOURTH title game since 2002. Let me tell you how AWESOME that is for M recruiting...

exmtroj

November 21st, 2013 at 10:49 AM ^

Actually, the worst scenario is that Winston isn' suspended until FSU clinched a title game berth, then Alabama and Baylor are upset and OSU gets to play a Winston-less FSU and will actually win the title instead of getting dump-trucked by Bama or Baylor.

Perkis-Size Me

November 21st, 2013 at 3:06 PM ^

As do I, even though all logic tells me I shouldn't.

But if you don't believe in yourself, why should anyone else? Either way, next week is going to be an absolute dogfight. While it might not be enough in the end, I have no doubt Michigan will play its best football next week.

And there's nothing I'd like more than to send them home with their tails between their asses, knowing that they'd essentially gotten into the national championship before we ruined it for them.

Talcelm

November 21st, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^

All the latest points to the victim not pressing charges. Being bullied by the police into not talking just when fsu is on the cusp of playing for a NC...NOTHING will happen...NOTHING!! They will drag feet until after NC game trust me!! It's just they way the Trailerhasse po po will work....look how long it's been buried so far....

gbdub

November 21st, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^

Actually it sounds like you've got it backwards - the case went quiet months ago, and is now getting blown up because of the status of FSU and Jameis.

Doesn't mean anything for the truth of the matter either way, but if the alleged victim was pressured into silence it happened a long time ago, not just as FSU is "on the cusp" of the title game.

MichiganMan14

November 21st, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^

Florida game is next week. The girl didnt respark this case. This came from a tipped off reporter who wont give their source from the Tampa Bay Times...a Gator paper. Everyone should refrain from being so naive here. 1. It took a month to identify Jameis? 2. Your initial description is off by 7inches and straight hair? 3. You stop cooperating and want no further part in the investigation of this incident? 4. Case is inactive since Februrary? 5. A "source" and reporter reopen the case against your will? 6. This story is re investigated the day after Oregon loses and Mariotta concedes the Heisman to Jameis? 7. There are photos surfacing of Jameis and the girl after the incident? 8. Why would the police protect a 3rd or 4th string unproven freshman qb looking at the MLB draft? I have vested interest but have attempted to look at this with as much objectivity as possible. Jameis cheated on his girlfriend. He didnt rape this girl. Certain parties have set out on a campaign to tarnish the season of their rival and stop the train of momentum that is FSU football. The more details that come out....the more obvious this is.

kevin holt

November 21st, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^

A kid in my class who went to Osu just came in super excited about how this means they're going to get to play in the National Championship game. Because that's the way you want to win? Because someone on the team above you might get suspended (for allegedly raping someone I add)? K. We HAVE to beat them.

LSAClassOf2000

November 21st, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^

The USA Today story adds some other stuff (HERE). Most notably, Winston's attorney stating that he was not shocked at all by the results of the DNA test. There is also a link to a story which talks about the family of the alleged victim saying that they were warned by the Tallahassee police not to pursue these charges as well - there are links to the TPD statement as well as the family's own statement regarding this aspect of the story in there as well. 

BlueinTC

November 21st, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^

Nobody knows for sure, yet, what happened. 

It's either one of 2 things:

 

1. He raped her.

2. Consensual sex but  it's an all too familiar case of falsely accusing someone who is a star, that you happened to have sex with, in order to get either attention or money.

Either option is despicable.

 

GMHW

November 21st, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^

I thought it was pretty much a given that the two parties got down. I just figured the issue was more of whether it was consensual or not, what witnesses said, etc. I guess its significant but just confirms what I expected. The real interesting shit to find out will be the testimony and what witnesses say.

markusr2007

November 21st, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^

So you have to sit down and explain it to them.

If a person is just a little bit incapacitated (been drinking, drunk, been smoking, doing drugs, injured, sedated, sleeping, or stoned), then consent cannot be provided.

So going to parties or going into bars to quote "pick up chicks", may be fun and a right of passage, but it's also ridden with danger.

Jameis Winston is accused, according to the press clipping, of sexual battery, which I could be wrong, but depending on the state, is not equivalent to forceable rape.  In Florida, it may be just unwanted sexual touching.   Not sure. He is definitely innocent until proven guilty.

If this evidence suggests sexual battery (unwanted sexual touching), then I wonder whether the consent question can be easily crushed by the victim simply stating: "I had been drinking that night, and not thinking clearly (I was incapacitated, so I could not possibly grant consent!)".

I wonder sometimes how many dudes have fallen into this situation. Not many probably, but holy shit when you do...

MichiganPoloShirt

November 21st, 2013 at 12:27 PM ^

Why don't these athletes like to use condoms? I just don't get it because if dna was found that's means he didn't use protection. With all the babies being made by these celebrities out of wedlock (not that there's anything wrong with that) you would think that it's a pattern.

bronxblue

November 21st, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out; while I obviously feel for the victim, I've seen enough of these cases to reserve judgment until the end.

Tater

November 21st, 2013 at 1:11 PM ^

So, is it a girl who got fucked up, had sex, and had regrets the next day, or was there an actual rape?  I just hope that whatever happened, the system gets it right.