In a prepared statement he read during his student conduct hearing, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston maintained his innocence against sexual assault allegations and said all of the events that occurred during the night in question were consensual.
Jameis Winston denies allegations of sexual assault
The Florida State quarterback spoke about the allegations against him for the first time in a statement during his school conduct hearing.
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The statement, which was obtained by multiple media outlets including USA Today, detailed Winston’s account of the interaction with the woman who accused him of Dec. 7, 2012 sexual assault.
I did not rape or sexually assault (NAME REDACTED). I did not create a hostile, intimidating or offensive environment in the short period of time that we were together. (NAME REDACTED) had the capacity to consent to having sex with me and she repeatedly did so by her conduct and her verbal expressions. I never used physical violence, threats, or other coercive means towards (NAME REDACTED). Finally, I never endangered (NAME REDACTED) health, safety, or well-being.
Winston’s statement is the first on-record comment he has made about the allegations.
He said he met the woman at a Tallahassee bar and the two exchanged cell phone numbers on the dance floor. He later sent her a text message saying he was leaving and she met him and two of his friends outside and accompanied them voluntarily in a taxi ride back to Winston’s off-campus apartment.
The statement gave a full account of the consensual sexual encounter Winston claims he and the woman participated in at his apartment. Winston said he drove the woman back to her dorm room on his scooter and the two exchanged a hug before she went inside.
Winston said he has been falsely accused and the accuser and her lawyers have threatened him with a lawsuit and “engaged in a destructive media campaign” against him.
Rape is a vicious crime. The only thing as vicious as rape is falsely accusing someone of rape. (NAME REDACTED) and her lawyers have falsely accused me, threatened to sue me, demanded $7,000,000 from me, engaged in a destructive media campaign against me, and manipulated this process to the point that my rights have and will continue to be severely compromised. (NAME REDACTED) and her lawyers’ public campaign to vilify me guarantees that her false allegations will follow me for the rest of my life.
Winston declined to answer questions during the hearing, citing his right under the Florida State University Student Code of Conduct.
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