Quote:Once an accusation of a possible crime has been made, the police department has the full responsibility for managing, and conducting a full thorough investigation.

 

The fact that there was a gap in DNA testing between the victim and Winston, shows that TPD did not manage proper oversight of the investigation regardless if the victim was cooperating or not. If there was not enough evidence to request a search warrant to submit DNA, why couldn't TPD just simply request Winston voluntarily submit a sample? Also, the status of this investigation changed from open inactive to open active demonstrated that TPD only took the accusation seriously once it became public.

 

IMO TPD did an injustice to BOTH the victim for causing pain and suffering by letting this linger and causing her to relocate, and to Winston by not having a conclusion to this case already. There have been sexual assault cases come before police departments before and have been handled more professionally. The damage is already done.

 

 

As a FSU alum and fan who proudly supports his alma-mater,Im not trying to hang anyone out to dry, nor deflect blame. No one here can do that, plus the only people who knew whether it was consensual or forced was the victim and Winston.

 

1. ) By all accounts, the TPD did conduct an investigation as thorough as they were capable of conducting. It's your opinion that they haven't. 

 

2. ) A DNA sample was obtained on the date of the alleged rape. According to the police, the accuser stopped responding to their calls. If the police couldn't get in contact with the victim, then the TPD will move forward with cases that have victims that actually want to pursue it. There are a finite number of investigators at the TPD. They're only capable of a certain amount of work. Expecting them to be able to conduct a "full thorough investigation" implies that they have enough investigators to do it. 

 

I can't speak for Florida, but the State of Georgia's GBI is backed up on their DNA testing. For a case like this one, where the victim doesn't want to pursue, then it will take upwards of a year to get results back. Depending on the Department, the testing may have been stored into evidence and forgotten about. The length of time in this case is irrelevant because it supports the known facts surrounding it.

 

3. ) "Pain and suffering"? C'mon. If that isn't sensationalism, then I don't know what is. They didn't cause her to relocate. I'd love for you to explain this one. 

 

Please explain how this could've been handled better. I understand that the police, or whichever investigating entity, is usually the one to suffer the brunt of the blame. The TPD supposedly has an e-mail saying that the victim didn't want to pursue anything. It is logistically impossible to conduct a full investigation on every crime. Imposssible. When the victim tells you to give it up or doesn't cooperate, then those cases are put aside.

 

Let's assume the TPD got Winston's DNA sample and arrested him knowing that the victim didn't want to prosecute. What would you say when Winston got before a judge with no victim present? No victim, no crime. 

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