Former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston has been sued by his sexual assault accuser a couple weeks ahead of the NFL draft and it stems from the alleged rape that the victim said occurred in 2012 and while this is a serious issue, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still likely to draft Winston with the number one overall pick.
According to Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times, the victim, Erica Kinsman, has filed a lawsuit against Winston that is related to the alleged rape she said occurred in 2012. The lawsuit has "claims of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape."
According to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, the Buccaneers draft situation will not be changed by the lawsuit. Although the Bucs may not end up taking Winston anyway, it's unlikely this will have any sway on things. The team likely has investigated the situation thoroughly and if they are comfortable with what occurred and how Winston and the police handled things, they will look at this as bad PR to start things off, but it may not keep them from drafting him.
After the allegations went public, Winston was not charged with a crime and was barely investigated by the police. Later he was cleared of Florida State University code of conduct, but two witnesses who were present in the dorm the night of the alleged rape did not testify.
Check here for more on the lawsuit and Winston.
"Today, a very brave young woman filed her lawsuit against Jameis Winston for the sexual battery that she reported to police in December 2012.," Kinsman's attorney John Clune said in a released statement. "Over the past two years, this survivor of sexual violence has had to endure a delinquent police investigation, a hostile FSU athletic department, and Mr. Winston's bullying lawyer. But the more these forces sought to silence her, the more determined she has become to step forward and hold Jameis Winston accountable for his actions. With the support of her family, she is prepared for this fight and for the counterclaims and the smear campaigns that will surely follow."
