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FSU’s emotional Fisher defends Winston

The Sports Xchange

October 13, 2014 at 3:25 pm.

Florida State Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher fired back at the media Monday during his press conference and said he isn’t concerned quarterback Jameis Winston will miss any games as a result of a school disciplinary hearing.

Fisher was asked about the latest firestorm surrounding his program and star quarterback, who has an upcoming student code of conduct hearing looking into his involvement in an alleged sexual assault on campus.

“There was no victim because there was no crime,” Fisher said.

When asked how much concern he had that Winston would face punishment, a defiant Fisher said: “None.”

“Read the reports. Read what’s there,” Fisher said. “The facts are the facts. That’s what they are. And when I see stories written that don’t have all the facts — that paint them towards their side of public opinion.

“This country is based on being innocent until proven guilty. Not guilty until proven innocent. There are two sides to that. I don’t want a victim for anything, but there is no victim because there was no crime. We’re convicting a guy over things that are not true, based on evidence.

“We believe in him, 100 percent.”

An emotional Fisher wasn’t finished dressing down the media.

“I think we’ve got to be very careful in today’s society to convict people in the public before they actually do in court or anywhere else,” Fisher said. “That’s happened in recent history and we saw we made a huge mistake and ruined a lot of lives. We need to be more responsible in our reporting and our opinions.”

“And base (it on) the facts, and not write articles that are half true and not all the way true. And put things out there that are not truthful before we ruin someone’s career — based on fact. Not on everyone’s opinion and what they think it is.”

Fisher was asked if the Florida State football players routinely got passes from the Tallahassee Police Department for criminal behavior.

“No” he said. “I think that’s exactly the opposite.”

Florida State said that it will use an independent official in the student code of conduct hearing for Winston. No date for the hearing has been scheduled.

A female student accused Winston of raping her during an encounter in December 2012.

Winston was not arrested or charged when police and the state attorney investigated the allegation. The school released a timeline of events Friday in defending its investigation.

Winston and his attorney were informed by the school’s interim president Garnett Stokes and vice president for student affairs Mary B. Coburn in a letter that he could be charged with a violation of one of FSU’s student code regarding sexual conduct.

The student code policy stipulates that Winston has five days to respond to the office of Students Rights and Responsibilities to schedule a hearing at which he would be informed of his rights and procedures.

The No. 2 Seminoles face No. 5 Notre Dame in Tallahassee on Saturday.