The investigation in to Jameis Winston and an alleged sexual assault may be over. According to The Tallahassee Democrat, an announcement on whether or not charges will be filed against Florida State’s quarterback may be revealed during an afternoon press conference on Thursday.
The state attorney’s office in Florida took over the case linking Winston to a sexual battery claim last month after local authorities failed to make any progress on the investigation. A DNA sample provided by the alleged victim was previously reported linking Winston to the woman making the claim without much room for doubt, although that is not enough alone to prove guilt.
Winston has remained an eligible player for Florida state throughout the recent investigation by the state attorney’s office. However, if charges are brought against Winston, it is likely he will be suspended quickly, making him unavailable for the ACC Championship Game this weekend against Duke. Charges being filed could also change the outlook for the Heisman Trophy this season, one that seems destined for Winston until anything changes that path. If Winston were to be ineligible for any amount of time, some may wonder how voters would look at Florida State as a potential BCS championship contender. Would a 13-0 Florida State without Winston still finish high enough in the BCS standings to advance to the BCS Championship Game.
Yes, they would, although that is far down on the list of priorities regarding such a serious case.