Up until recently, Jameis Winston was thought to be a top contender for the Heisman award. Florida State’s superstar freshman quarterback has led the Seminoles to their first undefeated season since 1999 with superior athletic ability. He led his team to a 37-7 victory against state rivals, the Florida Gators with 327 yards passing, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception this past weekend, securing his lead in the polls for the trophy. Tough losses for Texas A&M’s Johnny “football” Manziel, Alabama’s AJ McCarron and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota have knocked these three players down on the list, leaving Winston on top.
That being said, Jameis Winston’s standing as top Heisman trophy candidate faces a serious threat. A female student of FSU accused Winston of rape. The two had sexual intercourse on December 7, 2012 and the woman approached campus police to report the rape. The Tallahassee PD took over the investigation because the alleged rape took place off campus, however FSU still had a responsibility to investigate the event under Title IX. The woman’s lawyer claimed that the police tried to slide the accusation under the rug by pointing out Winston’s status in a big football town. DNA samples were taken from the woman’s underwear and tested positive as Jameis Winston’s DNA.
This evidence, however, is not necessarily proof of a rape, as Winston claims the sex was consensual. The woman’s attorney Patricia Carroll spoke contrarily in an interview, “To be clear, the victim did not consent. This was rape.” These two claims only prove 1 thing; no one wins in this situation. If proven guilty, Winston could face jail time. If proven innocent, the cloud of a rape accusation will hang over his head not only during the Heisman vote, but in the future. Some may believe he was let off easy primarily because of his hierarchical status in a town where football is the monarchy. Either way, this controversy will ultimately affect the lives of multiple people and the outcome of who wins the Heisman trophy.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/heisman13/
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=520687