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Likelihood of serious consequences for Detroit Lions’ Jameson Williams ‘very low’

Online Niel October 31, 2024

A local attorney says the Detroit Police Department’s investigation into its handling of a gun incident involving Jameson Williams likely won’t lead to a worst-case scenario for Detroit Lions wide receiver.

Wade Fink, a criminal justice attorney based in Birmingham, told The Detroit News that it is “extremely unlikely (the charge) will remain a felony” if Williams is indeed charged. One potential outcome is for Williams to be placed on probation for a year under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, a statute that allows offenders between the ages of 17 and 24 to have serious charges removed from their permanent record, he said.

“The likelihood that Jameson Williams will suffer a permanent felony or incarceration or any of the negative effects that we’re thinking about is very, very small,” Fink said. “However, there is still a great indignity to being accused and having to go through the system. Period. So there is evil in it.”

Tuesday, WXYZ-TV reported that Williams, 23, was in the passenger seat of a car driven by his brother on Oct. 8 when Detroit police pulled the two over for speeding. Williams’ brother immediately revealed to police that there were two guns in the car, one registered to each brother.

When officers discovered that only Williams’ brother, and not Williams, had a CPL, they made the decision to handcuff Williams and place him in the back of a squad car, according to the report. Superiors arrived on the scene and eventually, after making several phone calls to their superiors, decided to release Williams without a citation.

However, questions raised by WXYZ led DPD to reopen the incident and submit a warrant application to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which could theoretically lead to felony gun charges for the third-year Lions wide receiver. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has not decided whether the warrant request will be approved.

Fink said he wasn’t sure the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office would approve the warrant.

“Prosecutors make charging decisions. Police make suggestions and they do the investigation. Ultimately, prosecutors will make the decision whether to decline or file charges, regardless of what the police want,” Fink said.

“There are occasions when prosecutors and police disagree, and prosecutors have either declined charges or vice versa.”

Fink said the decision to release Williams after he was allegedly handcuffed for possessing a gun without a concealed permit license (CPL) was a “good trial” that was “made to look like a bad trial.”

“This is a good use of discretion by the police officers and it frustrates me that the narrative that came out and the way the WXYZ report was written (was) to suggest that something untoward or inappropriate happened because he was a player at the Lions,” Fink said. “These things happen all the time in interactions with police officers and ordinary citizens, and they should.”

According to WXYZ, a sergeant arrived on the scene after Williams was handcuffed, and the sergeant immediately recognized Williams as a Lions player. The report said body camera footage revealed the sergeant had a Lions logo on his phone wallpaper, raising questions about whether Williams received special treatment for his status as a high-profile athlete.

According to Fink, who acknowledged that Williams “certainly could have been more responsible in making sure he had a CPL or otherwise stored the gun in a way that wouldn’t be considered concealed,” said that ” the DPD’s ‘good process’ was reflected by three main factors.

“One factor is that you have two registered firearms. I think another is that at least one of the passengers had a properly authorized CPL. I think a third factor that is not talked about is the immediate disclosure of the presence of firearms in the car upon withdrawal,” Fink said.

“In other words, nobody is trying to hide anything. The police must have a reason to search your car. They can’t pull you over and say, “I’m going to search your car.” There has to be some level of suspicion, so the immediate disclosure of these weapons also suggests that no one is trying to hide anything.”

DPD issued a statement Tuesday night which cited “new allegations and facts” as the reason for reopening the investigation. Fink said issuing a warrant in a situation where no one has been charged is “not common.”

The DPD statement said: “The investigation continues to develop and new information has come to light which we are actively addressing,” the statement read. “We take every investigation seriously, especially when new allegations and facts emerge, and we are committed to acting swiftly and transparently. Once new facts are confirmed, we make the necessary changes in our decision-making process. Let’s be clear: No one in the city of Detroit is above the law. Anyone who commits a crime will be held accountable, regardless of their position or status.

Cpl. of Detroit Police. Dan Donakowski told The News on Wednesday that he had no update to offer on when the video of Williams’ traffic stop would be released. He said he was not sure if a police report had yet been filed for the incident.

The NFL released a statement on the incident on Tuesday, which said: “The Lions promptly notified the league upon learning of this matter. We have no further comment at this time.”

The WXYZ report states their questions about DPD’s handling of the incident “prompted … an internal affairs investigation into the stop and the decision not to arrest the Lions receiver.”

Fink said it’s an example of police “(falling) for a news story that misunderstands the law and law enforcement procedure” and fears the public ordeal could lead to the DPD limiting its use of discretion where warranted.

“(The officers) asked their superiors, who asked their superiors, and a decision was made. That’s not unusual,” Fink said. “… Now you’ve got a little kid in trouble, facing a crime. And I promise you: other people are also (now) in danger because this kind of pressure does not (lend itself) to the benefit of discretion. , (it lends itself) to the “Arrest now and ask questions later” advantage.

Williams, selected 12th overall in the 2022 NFL Drafthas 17 catches for 361 yards (21.2 yards per catch) and three touchdowns in six games this season. Williams is serving a two-game suspension for violation of the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substancesand missed Sunday’s 52-14 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Writer Julia Cardi contributed to this story.

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