Jameis Winston Facing Florida State University Investigation For Rape Charge

Jameis Winston is facing an investigation from Florida State University related to a 2012 rape accusation from a female student, a charge that was later dropped.

The investigation is part of Florida State’s Title IX requirements in relation to a sexual assault accusation. The unnamed woman told police in December 2012 that she was raped, later identifying Winston as her attacker.

Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said the team wasn’t letting the investigation serve as a distraction.

“No, this team moves on,” Fisher said Thursday. “I have no idea how that’ll go, what it’s about. That’s for other people to find out. We’re just here playing ball.”

An attorney for the accuser said the school interviewed her client on August 7.

“I think it was a positive experience, and everyone felt like the university was taking it very seriously,” attorney John Clune told USA Today.

Clune added that he expects Winston to face a charge of violating the school’s conduct policy.

Jameis Winston was investigated by the state attorney’s office last year, but no charges were never filed as investigators found insufficient evidence.

The Florida State investigation is not meant to determine legal culpability, said Willie Meggs, the state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit.

“My understanding is what they’re looking at is much different from what we were looking at,” Meggs said. “The standards for criminal charges and student conduct are different animals.”

But Meggs added that FSU seemed to take a long time to investigate the rape claim.Winston has found trouble during his time at Florida State. After being cleared of the rape claim, he was accused of stealing $37.72 worth of crab legs from a local supermarket. There was no word on when Florida State’s investigation of Jameis Winston could be completed or what discipline he might face.