© 2025 WFSU Public Media
WFSU News · Tallahassee · Panama City · Thomasville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WFSU-FM is currently broadcasting at reduced power. We apologize for this inconvenience. And remember, you can stream or listen to WFSU on the App.

TPD Addresses Winston Rape Probe, Says Investigation Was 'Never Closed'

floridastate.247sports.com
Jameis Winston

The Tallahassee Police Department is pushing back against allegations it has mishandled a rape investigation involving Florida State University Quarterback Jameis Winston.

The incident happened in December 2012, but is just now coming to light—raising concerns about the way the police department has handled the case.

Tallahassee Police Chief Tom Coe says despite media reports, the case involving FSU’s Winston was never closed. That contradicts statements made by Winston's attorney Tim Jansen, who says he was told otherwise.

Coe also pushed back against statements from the victim’s attorney, who says her client was told not to pursue the case by a TPD investigator because Tallahassee is a football town, and the victim’s life would be made miserable. Coe would not address those allegations directly, but gave a brief timeline of the department’s investigation:

“On December 7, 2012 the Tallahassee Police Department  responded to a call by the Florida State University Police Department about an alleged sexual battery," he told reporters Wednesday night during an impromptu press conference. " In February 2013, the case was classified as ‘open, but inactive,’ and the victim in the case broke off contact with TPD, and her attorney indicated she did not want to move forward at that time.”

Coe's statement came around the time DNA evidence linking Winston to the case was leaked. However, that alone does not indicate a crime, and TPD officials say their investigation is ongoing. The case has caught national attention, as Winston is a front-runner for the Heisman award, and FSU is in contention for a shot at a national championship.

The case is now in the hands of the Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office.

According to CBSSports.com, "Assistant state attorney Georgia Cappleman said her 2nd Judicial Circuit office received a copy of the statement from the victim's family alleging Tallahassee Police dissuaded the victim's attorney from pursuing the case. The family's attorney notified the State Attorney of the family's plans to release the anonymous statement, which was first reported by the Tampa Bay Times."

Follow @HatterLynn

Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University and Florida State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master's in Professional Communication. Lynn has been with WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She has worked with several organizations, including Kaiser Health News.  Lynn has also partnered with USC-Annenberg's Center for Child Wellbeing on the nationally acclaimed series "Committed," which explored the prevalence of involuntary commitment use on children.
She serves on the board of RTDNA and the United Way of the Big Bend, with previous service on the board of the First Amendment Foundation of Florida.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.