Jameis Winston, One of 2015 NFL Top Picks, in Civil Suit for Rape

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In the lawsuit filed in a Florida state court in Orlando, Erica Kinsman accused Winston of assault, false imprisonment, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.  Through her attorneys David King, Baine Kerr, and John Clune, Kinsman is demanding more than $15,000 as well as “the right to seek leave as to her entitlement to punitive damages.”

Specifically, the suit alleged that Winston’s “conduct was extreme and outrageous and caused Plaintiff to suffer severe mental anguish and suffering, including, more specifically, loss of sleep, flashbacks, severe anxiety, fear of repeat sexual violence, an unfounded sense of shame and depression, all of which will continue to require psychological and other counseling.”

The incident allegedly took place in Winston’s off-campus apartment in December 2012.  However, no criminal charges were filed against Winston due to insufficient evidence, and he was also cleared in a Florida State code of conduct hearing.  In his judgment, a retired Florida Supreme Court chief justice, who presided the hearing, found no one’s story substantially more credible than the other.

Although the suit comes only two weeks before this year’s draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have said that the news would have no impact on their draft plans.

Kinsman also filed a Title IX suit against Florida State in January, alleging that the university’s “responses to the harassment were clearly unreasonable.”  Florida State filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March.

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