Nearly two years after being accused of sexually assaulting a Florida State student, FSU quarterback Jameis Winston’s student code of conduct hearing finally got under way on Tuesday.
The hearing lasted about five hours before adjourning. It will continue Wednesday. If he is found guilty, Winston faces discipline ranging from a verbal or written reprimand to suspension or expulsion from school.
Winston and the former student who accused him of sexually assaulting her in December 2012 both arrived on campus for the hearing, which was delayed twice.
Florida State selected a former Florida Supreme Court justice — Major Harding — to conduct the hearing.
Winston and attorney David Cornwell arrived moments before the noon hearing was scheduled to start. While Winston did not speak to reporters, Cornwell released a statement saying, “We intend to end this process today.”
“Jameis will tell the truth today, and we are confident that Justice Harding, when he hears her multiple lies and Jameis’ truth, will find as every other entity has to this point, that she is lying,” he said.
The woman and her adviser, Title IX attorney Blaine Kerr, arrived a few minutes later. Kerr also released a statement.
“This is the day that Mr. Winston has been desperately trying to avoid for two years,” the statement read. “This courageous young woman finally gets the chance to stand up for herself and against Mr. Winston and big time college sports which has long run over the rights and protection of women on campus.”
Police did not arrest the Heisman Trophy winner, and the state’s attorney general decided not to file charges against Winston. Willie Meggs said there was not enough evidence to bring charges.
Winston faces four violations of the conduct policy.
Three or four witnesses testified during Tuesday’s hearing, said John Clune, one of the female accuser’s attorneys, who spoke to reporters after the proceeding ended for the day.
“For our client, it was a very empowering day,” he said.
Winston left the hearing beside his attorney, ignoring reporters shouting questions as they got into a dark SUV.
“We think this nightmare will be over very soon,” said Cornwell, who earlier in the day told reporters the quarterback would truthfully say he never raped his accuser.
In a recent series of off-field incidents, Winston was benched for shouting obscenities in the student union plaza and was cited for shoplifting seafood from a grocery store.
The allegations threaten to cost a shadow over an undefeated season for the Florida State Seminoles, coming as the National Football League faces criticism for its handling of domestic violence and other abuse by its players.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights also is investigating Florida State’s handling of the case.
“There are so many women who have been victims of athlete violence around the country and have had to deal with their cases being swept under the rug,” Clune said. “This at one point certainly seemed to be one of them.”