Florida State University To Pay Jameis Winston Accuser Settlement Sum of $950,000

USA Today reported today that FSU just agreed to pay Erica Kinsman $950,000 – a sum that includes attorney’s fees, and an additional five-year commitment to awareness, prevention, and training programs. This $950k lump sum ranks as the biggest settlement for Title IX claims in regards to indifference to a student’s sexual assault.

Over a year ago Erica Kinsman, a former FSU student, filed a complaint in federal court against her classmate and school’s quarterback Jameis Winston. She claimed Winston had raped her in 2012. In her lawsuit Kinsman reported a gross indifference on the part of FSU and the school’s treatment of her case. She casts an image of a school that ‘just wants to let the good ol boys play foosball’ without having to own up for their action taken off the gridiron.

Kinsman left FSU in November 2013 after her case went public, and she contended that the harassment perpetuated since her case opened had wrongfully barred her from educational opportunity under Title IX.

In ’14 the FSU administration forgot how to spell-check or whiffed at being clever, and put in play the ‘kNOw MORE’ campaign. The campaign aims to promote the growth and betterment of educating staff, faculty, and students about “the meaning of consent, prevention, intervention and provide resources for sexual assault victims.”

Before FSU quit with being a swindling vomit licker of a useless institution they tried (unsuccessfully) to have Kinsman’s lawsuit dismissed by arguing the “appropriate person” wasn’t privy to the harassment; but Judge Mark E. Walker’s a man with a righteous moral compass on his shoulders, ruled the case could move forwards. To stoke the flames of outrage and unrest yet further, it turns out FSU previously said senior associate athletics director Monk Bonasorte and football coach Jimbo Fisher knew about the rape allegation dating back to ’13–just a month after original report came in on the wire–but both men consciously chose to not notify the Title IX coordinator or the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

The most profound takeaway from this case is that it lay dormant due to various folks in-n-out the educational institution (FSU) failing to uphold the powers and responsibilities vested each of them. Winston wasn’t found guilty for sexual misconduct following his hearing in ’14, and he went on to be selected as No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in April. Shortly thereafter Kinsman sued him, he countersued, and the case is currently pending in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He currently slings the pigskin for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Winston was not found responsible of sexual misconduct following a FSU student conduct hearing in December 2014. He was the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in April and is currently quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kinsman sued him in April, and he countersued. That case is pending in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. While sure, a damn buttload of money’s been shoveled out, it seems that justice and its upholding yet lurks heavy on the horizon. We’ll be curious to see how the rest this case pans out.