-
Eric Woodyard, ESPN
DETROIT — No legal action will be taken against Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams stemming from a traffic stop on Oct. 8, Wayne County prosecutors said.
After reviewing a warrant request for a concealed weapons charge, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office concluded that the warrant was denied because case law is silent on the specific subject matter and legislative intent of the concealed pistol license statute. (CPL) does not support the charges under these facts.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy issued a statement saying the office examined the case thoroughly and objectively regardless of Williams’ status as an NFL player.
“We do not consider Mr. Williams to be a professional athlete from Detroit in our decision making,” he wrote. “We have charged Detroit-area athletes before and would not have hesitated to do so again if the facts of this case could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
“When it comes to charging decisions, we don’t take into consideration who the potential defendant is, how much power and influence they have, or how well-liked they may be. We deal only with the facts and the law.”
The Detroit Police Department also issued a statement expressing gratitude to Wayne County prosecutors “for their careful deliberation on this complex legal matter.”
“This case illustrates how challenging on-the-spot arrest determinations and subsequent charging decisions can be in new and unique situations, such as the one at hand,” the statement read. “Although no charges will be filed in this case, as an agency, we echo Prosecutor Worthy’s sentiment that no one is above the law.”
According to the report, Williams was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his brother when they were stopped on Tuesday, October 8, at approximately 1:02 a.m., by two Detroit police officers in a fully marked scout vehicle. Officers observed a black sedan with a blacked-out license plate allegedly driving above the speed limit and in an unsafe manner, according to the report.
Police asked Williams’ brother if there were weapons in the vehicle, and he said there were two guns, one in the back seat and one under Jameson Williams’ passenger seat.
The gun in the back seat was registered to Williams’ brother, who had a concealed pistol license, along with a valid Michigan driver’s license, proof of insurance and registration.
The gun under the passenger seat was registered to Jameson Williams, who did not have a concealed pistol license, according to the report, but after review, he would be qualified to obtain a license to carry a concealed pistol and transport it. There were also no facts in this case to support a conclusion that Williams is a criminal or dangerous individual, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office analysis.
Jameson Williams, who repeatedly identified himself as a Lions player during the stop, according to body camera audio, was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car, but was later released at the scene when a police supervisor arrived. Detroit Police Department. .
The brother who was driving the car received traffic tickets. Worthy said his office had a team of licensed attorneys evaluate the case and all agreed they came to the best decision given the unique circumstances of the law.
“The CPL holder here was the driver and had care, custody and control of the car. Guidance is needed for the future on how many weapons can a valid CPL say he has control? Despite all this, if Mr. Williams “If he had the gun on him, he would have been charged,” Worthy said. “I urge the legislature to take a close look at this law immediately so that Michigan prosecutors can have consistent and meaningful guidance going forward.”
Williams was selected 12th overall by the Lions in 2022 out of Alabama. He is Detroit’s second-leading receiver with 602 receiving yards and four touchdowns behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, despite missing two games without pay for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy, which it agreed to on December 24. October, calling it a “complete surprise.”
Since his reinstatement, Williams had a career-high 124 yards with a touchdown in Week 11 against Jacksonville. The Lions (10-1) are off to their best start in 90 years, and Williams says he’s learned to “move smarter.”
“I’ve always been the same person. That doesn’t change me, it never will. Certain people want to see you down, certain people want to see you with your head down and not doing the right thing, not doing the right thing.” right decisions, but it’s me,” Williams told reporters on Nov. 6. “I always come out of every situation the same person, and I will always be the same person every day.
“So, I was really just saying [my teammates] I’m fine and thank you. I appreciated everyone who checked me out.”
