The woman who accused Jameis Winston of rape plans to file a civil suit against the Florida State quarterback and the Tallahassee Police Department, ABC News reported Wednesday.
In an exclusive interview with ABC, the woman's attorney said, "I want heads to roll."
"Absolutely you're going to see a civil suit," attorney Pat Carroll said. "You cannot have law enforcement that is not held accountable."
The timing and handling of the case by authorities has been an issue since the investigation first came to public light in November. The alleged incident occurred in December 2012, at which time the woman filed a police report. But Tallahassee police did not hand the case over to local prosecutors until November of this year.
City manager Anita Favors said in a November email to the Tallahassee mayor and city commissioners that the case was immediately investigated, but then police, stopped getting responses from the young woman and could no longer contact her for additional follow up and information after many attempts to do so," and that the accuser's attorneys said the woman "changed her mind and did not wish to prosecute."
Tallahassee police chief Tom Coe in December defended the department's handling of the case, and on Dec. 5, state attorney Willie Meggs announced the 20-year-old Heisman winner would not be charged.
"The family is proceeding, with civil action against the TPD and Jameis Winston. And possibly the university," Carroll told ABC.
Winston's attorney, Tim Jansen, has maintained Winston and the accuser had consensual sex — Winston was 18 at the time of the encounter — and DNA matching Winston's was reportedly found in the woman's underwear.
Florida State won the national championship on Monday after Winston threw a last-minute touchdown pass to give the Seminoles a 34-31 win over Auburn in the BCS Championship Game. On Wednesday, Carroll told ABC that her client has been on the receiving end of anger by Florida State fans who learned her identity, and that the woman has been warned by authorities not to return to Florida State.
"I inquired if . . . if she could return to FSU and they told me absolutely not," Carroll told ABC. "They too had the impression she would be in physical danger."
In an exclusive interview with ABC, the woman's attorney said, "I want heads to roll."
"Absolutely you're going to see a civil suit," attorney Pat Carroll said. "You cannot have law enforcement that is not held accountable."
The timing and handling of the case by authorities has been an issue since the investigation first came to public light in November. The alleged incident occurred in December 2012, at which time the woman filed a police report. But Tallahassee police did not hand the case over to local prosecutors until November of this year.
City manager Anita Favors said in a November email to the Tallahassee mayor and city commissioners that the case was immediately investigated, but then police, stopped getting responses from the young woman and could no longer contact her for additional follow up and information after many attempts to do so," and that the accuser's attorneys said the woman "changed her mind and did not wish to prosecute."
Tallahassee police chief Tom Coe in December defended the department's handling of the case, and on Dec. 5, state attorney Willie Meggs announced the 20-year-old Heisman winner would not be charged.
"The family is proceeding, with civil action against the TPD and Jameis Winston. And possibly the university," Carroll told ABC.
Winston's attorney, Tim Jansen, has maintained Winston and the accuser had consensual sex — Winston was 18 at the time of the encounter — and DNA matching Winston's was reportedly found in the woman's underwear.
Florida State won the national championship on Monday after Winston threw a last-minute touchdown pass to give the Seminoles a 34-31 win over Auburn in the BCS Championship Game. On Wednesday, Carroll told ABC that her client has been on the receiving end of anger by Florida State fans who learned her identity, and that the woman has been warned by authorities not to return to Florida State.
"I inquired if . . . if she could return to FSU and they told me absolutely not," Carroll told ABC. "They too had the impression she would be in physical danger."
