TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — There was a lot of finger-pointing Thursday in the sexual assault investigation involving Florida State’s Jameis Winston after a DNA report linking the quarterback to the alleged victim was leaked to the media.
Tim Jansen, Winston’s attorney, and State Attorney Willie Meggs held press conferences within minutes of one another. Jensen insinuated that the leak came from Meggs’ office, an assertion the state attorney denied.
Though it is still unclear who leaked the information, Jensen did reveal that Winston voluntarily gave a DNA sample to Tallahassee police last week, but said that even if it matches that of the alleged victim it wouldn’t mean his client raped the woman.
Jansen said the sex between Winston and the accuser “absolutely” was consensual, but then retreated when pressed by reporters who asked him to confirm what he just said.
“I’m not saying that,” Jansen said. “I’m saying the eyewitnesses that were there will verify that any material that was found, or any evidence that was found, is consistent with him (doing) nothing wrong.”
ESPN first reported Wednesday night that Winston’s DNA matched a sample taken from the underwear of the accuser.
Jansen said he has not seen the results of the DNA tests and found out watching television.
“All I know is it’s very suspicious that the only news reporting agency that (State Attorney) Willie Meggs met privately with yesterday in his office was the one that reported that last night on television,” Jansen said. “And that would be ESPN.”
Meggs held a press conference minutes after Jensen’s and denied that he — or anyone in his office — released the DNA information to the media. He called the release of the information “problematic.” He said he did not know who the source of information was for ESPN.
Tallahassee Police Department spokesman David Northway told The AP that the leak did not come from the police.
No. 17 Central Florida
41, Rutgers 17
ORLANDO, Fla. — Blake Bortles passed for one touchdown and ran for another Thursday night, helping Central Florida dominate Rutgers to remain unbeaten in the American Athletic Conference.
The Knights (9-1, 6-0) won for the sixth straight time following a three-point loss to South Carolina, retaining sole possession of first place in the AAC — one game ahead of Louisville and Cincinnati.
Bortles threw a 4-yard TD pass to Breshad Perriman in the opening quarter and UCF scored on its first four offensive possessions to build a 28-7 lead.
By wire sources
