Prosecutors won't file charges against Florida State's Jameis Winston in rape investigation

Prosecutors have decided not to charge a star Florida State quarterback in connection with a rape investigation.

The state attorney’s office has been investigating Jameis Winston since Nov. 13 in connection with the Dec. 7, 2012, incident after media outlets filed public records requests to see the Tallahassee police case file.

Winston, a redshirt freshman, is the leading Heisman Trophy candidate after guiding the top-ranked Seminoles to a possible national championship berth.

His attorney had denied the accusations made by a woman who no longer attends the school, although Winston’s DNA matched a sample collected hours after the alleged assault took place.

State Attorney William Megs reopened the case 11 months after the alleged assault was reported to ensure police had properly investigated and collected evidence.

The woman’s family said Nov. 20 that police had cautioned her against filing charges, saying that she would be “raked over the coals” and made miserable in the football-mad town.

A poll conducted by USA Today found that only 20 percent of Heisman voters would consider the accusations when deciding whether or not to vote for Winston as the nation’s top college football player.

Watch this news conference with Winston posted online Wednesday by Florida State Seminoles: