Feds Open FSU inquiry regarding handling of Winston charges..

[CuseLegacy]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...-investigation-title-ix-civil-rights/7262359/

"FSU joins a growing list of schools under investigation for their handling of sexual assault cases, including Michigan, Michigan State, North Carolina, Penn State and UConn."

 

[orangenirvana]

Good.

 

[HtownOrange]

S e x assault needs to be taken seriously by schools. Most kids in school have never been away from mom and dad and had access to copious amounts of alcohol and recreational drugs, this is a formula for disaster for kids who have yet to learn self control. Most kids have learned moderation but too many haven't and schools should not cover it up. Professional investigators and prosecutors should be involved, not student body investigations and campus police without training.

I am not advocating taking away the rights of the kids in s book just protecting the rights of victims. Stepping off soap box...

 

[IthacaMatt]

S e x assault needs to be taken seriously by schools. Most kids in school have never been away from mom and dad and had access to copious amounts of alcohol and recreational drugs, this is a formula for disaster for kids who have yet to learn self control. Most kids have learned moderation but too many haven't and schools should not cover it up. Professional investigators and prosecutors should be involved, not student body investigations and famous police without training.

I am not advocating taking away the rights of the kids in s book just protecting the rights of victims. Stepping off soap box...

I think the issue is taken VERY seriously by schools. I mean, just look at the amount of education and sensitivity training students get about date rape these days. This is not the '70s anymore.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

And sensitivity training really only goes so far. If training and mentorship aren't paired with real consequences for that sort of behavior then you'll never come close to stamping it out.

 

[HtownOrange]

I think the issue is taken VERY seriously by schools. I mean, just look at the amount of education and sensitivity training students get about date rape these days. This is not the '70s anymore.

I agree sensitivity is taught on campus and even in the workplace. The problem is that most sexual assault issues are not dealt with in a criminal manner but rather the impersonal and often outright frightening and embarrassing fashion by fellow students who have no clue regarding legal, emotional, mental and physical impacts of their ineptude while they believe they are merely protecting the schools good name and keeping a fellow student from being tagged a sexual predator for what they see as a girl that has morning after regrets.

Sorry to be preachy but too many schools do not deal with these women in a proper manner. Schools often leave the initial reports off crime stats to make themselves look better. The victims don't get real help and are denied real investigations. Many are scarred for life twice, once for the assault and then again because no one believes them.

Sadly, many small police forces are not properly staffed to investigate sexual assault.

 

[SWC75]

S e x assault needs to be taken seriously by schools. Most kids in school have never been away from mom and dad and had access to copious amounts of alcohol and recreational drugs, this is a formula for disaster for kids who have yet to learn self control. Most kids have learned moderation but too many haven't and schools should not cover it up. Professional investigators and prosecutors should be involved, not student body investigations and famous police without training.

I am not advocating taking away the rights of the kids in s book just protecting the rights of victims. Stepping off soap box...

"Famous" police? Spell check acting up again?

 

[HtownOrange]

"Famous" police? Spell check acting up again?

Good catch. "Campus police" is what I intended. (Insert Homer Simpson "Doah!")

 

[retro44]

Good catch. "Campus police" is what I intended. (Insert Homer Simpson "Doah!")

famous jamous on the mind

 

[HtownOrange]

famous jamous on the mind

Actually SWC called this one, my phone autocorrect attacked again. However, your call has that Freudian slip appeal to the argument and deserves full credit.

 

[IthacaMatt]

And sensitivity training really only goes so far. If training and mentorship aren't paired with real consequences for that sort of behavior then you'll never come close to stamping it out.

I agree, but it gives women the courage to say no and feel that their decision will be respected.

 

[CuseLegacy]

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsport...ns/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[CuseLegacy]

Matt BakerVerified account‏@MBakerTBTimes 1h
Confirmed: #FSU interviewed Jameis Winston's accuser last month. First time the school asked for a detailed account of the allegations.

 

[leftytg]

i hope the feds throw the book at FSU. The way that investigation was handled was disgusting and infuriating.

College football is just too important to people in some places. We see what happened at Penn St., FSU, Notre Dame, where even the police departments downplay and cover up serious sexual crimes in the name of the football program. I really wish there was a mechanism to take football away from the places where it has simply grown too powerful.

College football is awesome, and it should be enjoyed immensely. But when it moves beyond entertainment and to a place where elements of the program are above the law, it becomes scary.

 

[Oakland]

Except when football or basketball players are involved.

I think the issue is taken VERY seriously by schools. I mean, just look at the amount of education and sensitivity training students get about date rape these days. This is not the '70s anymore.

 

[retro44]

this little blurb from the story cleary states who runs the show down there...

Florida State to reopen its Title IX investigation into the incident, which was closed because the star quarterback refused to answer questions.

So in the state of Florida if a rape suspect refuses to answer questions he does not get charged? Am I reading that right?

 

[retro44]

I think the issue is taken VERY seriously by schools. I mean, just look at the amount of education and sensitivity training students get about date rape these days. This is not the '70s anymore.

Tell that to the Ivy school girl who carries her bed around that she was raped in to remind everyone how that school refused to investigate....Actually different 3 women all accused the same guy

 

[PhatOrange]

No ND ?

 

[Crusty]

The infuriating thing is when schools do not do what is required by law and suffer absolutely no consequences whatsoever. Hopefully, the Feds will start putting pressure on these schools to follow the law and do what is required, reducing the influence of football programs in these cases, THAT would be a start.

 

[HtownOrange]

From the article: " The meeting, which took place early last month, was the first time school officials had spoken to the alleged victim."

Sadly, FSU took two years to actually speak with the girl. I know there are some women who make false accusations based on morning after regrets but each case deserves an investigation to discover the truth. If JW is innocent, he should get the benefit of exoneration. If he is guilty, he should be charged criminally. Two years later, the issue remains and they just now get around to speaking with one party, that may be criminal in and of itself (interference with a criminal investigation, cover up).

The Tallahassee police should be seriously investigated by the Feds to ensure there was zero chance of a cover up.

this little blurb from the story cleary states who runs the show down there...

Florida State to reopen its Title IX investigation into the incident, which was closed because the star quarterback refused to answer questions.

So in the state of Florida if a rape suspect refuses to answer questions he does not get charged? Am I reading that right?

It may have been the "proper" procedure based on the fact they failed to interview the alleged victim who made the allegations. If the Tallahassee police did not investigate the issue properly and JW's attorney clammed JW up (which he did), FSU has the plausible excuse that they could go no further and closed their Title IX investigation. Weak, but plausible. Probably happens more frequently across the nation than any of us would like to think.

 

[qdawgg]

I think the issue is taken VERY seriously by schools. I mean, just look at the amount of education and sensitivity training students get about date rape these days. This is not the '70s anymore.

I think the issue is taken very seriously by most schools BUT where is the education directed typically in college? Towards the students.

Where the ball is being dropped is after the rape has occurred and the administration, campus police, etc. fail to act accordingly.

 

[Moontan]

So in the state of Florida if a rape suspect refuses to answer questions he does not get charged? Am I reading that right?

2 separate issues here.

1. The state:
If there's no evidence and it's
"She said - He said", or more
accurately "She said - He quiet" -
what should the DA do?*

2. The school:
The fact that the school didn't
talk to the accuser, especially
once the DA dropped the charges,
is inexcusable even if there's the
plausible "the police/DA didn't
do anything" line.*

Of course, the fact that the accused is a starting football player is a mere coincidence.


* - both "investigations" smell.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

this little blurb from the story cleary states who runs the show down there...

Florida State to reopen its Title IX investigation into the incident, which was closed because the star quarterback refused to answer questions.

So in the state of Florida if a rape suspect refuses to answer questions he does not get charged? Am I reading that right?

If the story of the accuser is suspect, then yes. I know some people believe that invoking Constitutional rights is a chargeable offense in and of itself.
If the girl's story had holes, and there was no physical indication of no-consensual sex, (all supposition on my part), then what would you charge him with? There should be a reasonable chance of conviction before charging someone with a crime.

 

[Full_Rebar]

The NCAA should do more than lip service about domestic violence and athletes. It would be a better use of their enforcement to look into matters like this instead of how much icing is on the cookie cakes at South Carolina.

 

[Crusty]

2 separate issues here.

1. The state:
If there's no evidence and it's
"She said - He said", or more
accurately "She said - He quiet" -
what should the DA do?*

2. The school:
The fact that the school didn't
talk to the accuser, especially
once the DA dropped the charges,
is inexcusable even if there's the
plausible "the police/DA didn't
anything" line.*

Of course, the fact that the accused is a starting football player is a mere coincidence.


* - both "investigations" smell.

With respect to #1 - Every rape has an accuser and a denying perp. Before DNA rapists could say it wasn't me; now they say it was consensual. As I recall (I could be remembering incorrectly), there were inconsistencies in the "witness" testimony and other circumstantial evidence. In Florida (and I suppose in most states), all that is required is probable cause.

Everyone remembers the Duke lacrosse case (can you believe it was 8 years ago) so we are hesitant to prejudge in fear of false accusation . That said, the credibility of the victim must account for something. These are never clear cut cases and at some point they need to go to a jury, otherwise women are just fair game to thugs.

With respect to #2 you got it exactly right.