The curious case of Jameis Winston

[Caw Caw]

"As she gave her account to the police, several bruises began to appear, indicating recent trauma. Tests would later find semen on her underwear.

For nearly a year, the events of that evening remained a well-kept secret until the woman’s allegations burst into the open, roiling the university and threatening a prized asset: Jameis Winston, one of the marquee names of college football."

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/04/16/sports/errors-in-inquiry-on-rape-allegations-against-fsu-jameis-winston.html?hp&hp&_r=0

This is a long piece. I was just wondering if anyone else took the time to read this (it's well worth it). This is one of the better investigative pieces dealing with a lot of people who refuse to talk about it. And leads to an interesting question of what you would sacrifice to have your program hit that level of success.

[Harry]

This could definitely get ugly.

[Caw Caw]

I thought so too Harry. I enjoyed the depth and effort the reporter into presenting the facts and not just scraping the surface of an event like that.

[Harry]

When I say, ugly - I don't mean in terms of the criminal investigation -- they botched that up pretty good.

However, there is still potentially a lot of civil liability...

The woman who alleged Jameis Winston raped her has hired two high-profile attorneys.

John Clune and one of his partners, Baine Kerr, confirmed to Fox Sports they are working with Patricia Carroll, the lawyer for the woman who accused Winston of rape in December 2012. The investigation was dormant for nine months until State Attorney Willie Meggs brought it back up last fall. He ultimately decided there was not enough evidence to file charges.

Clune has worked campus rape cases at Wake Forest, University of the Pacific, University of Colorado, Stanford and Harvard and also represented the woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape.

Kerr has found success in cases against the University of Colorado and Arizona State University. In the University of Colorado case, the school's president, chancellor and athletic director resigned. The college was required to pay the woman who accused the football team of gang-raping her $2.5 million to settle.

[UNTFan23]

Florida State takes exception to the NYT Article.

[Caw Caw]

Look, i understand from a legal standpoint why FSU would decline to comment anything but the generic, prepared statements about the case, but it just doesn't look good. I understand the doubt if this was some young reporter trying to make his bones, but the guy has a Pulitzer. To my knowledge, he has no grudge against the Seminole nation. He consistently contacted every source from every angle. If you want the article to look less lopsided, maybe you give him something to work with? Let's not act like authorities giving legal exceptions to star athletes is anything new.

TL;DR: If FSU wanted to take exception you should have said your piece to the reporter doing the story.