Police asked to drop case vs. FSU running back

The attorney representing the alleged victim in a domestic battery case involving Florida State University running back Karlos Williams says he has requested the Tallahassee Police Department to drop its investigation.

TPD sent out a news release Monday saying Williams, the Seminoles' leading rusher, was a suspect in a domestic battery case related to an incident last Wednesday.

Tallahassee attorney Nathan Prince said he has informally told TPD to stop the investigation and today will formally submit a request terminate it, three days before the Seminoles play the University of Louisville. Williams, a senior, leads his team in rushing this season with 378 yards on 82 carries.

The alleged victim's client, Prince said, will not talk to investigators, has not filed a complaint and did not notify TPD or FSU about any alleged domestic battery incident.

Prince said the two used to be a couple and lived together. They have one child together and another on the way.

Prince said he doesn't believe there will be probable cause for Williams' arrest since there will be no witness testimony. He wouldn't comment on whether his client believes she was the victim of domestic violence or if she was harmed in a domestic violence incident.

"She doesn't want to make any comments on the facts of the case," Prince told the Democrat. "There aren't any witnesses that have provided testimony."

Prince said he believes someone alerted FSU and authorities after internet rumors started this weekend that Williams' girlfriend had been battered.

Tallahassee attorney Tim Jansen, who is representing Williams, told the Democrat he didn't know about the effort to stop the investigation.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman told the Democrat there was no case file on a domestic battery involving Williams and that her office is not investigating any inquiry.

Jansen said he had been in contact with a TPD officer who is heading up the investigation. He added that he was invited to the State Attorney's Office to talk about it. Jansen said he's unsure when a meeting would take place since Williams and the rest of the football team leave today for Louisville where they'll play the Louisville Cardinals Thursday night.

Jansen claimed Williams is the target of ongoing negative press the football team has received lately related to football players and their legal run-ins.

"I think it's not fair to Karlos that he is being used as a target now," he said.

He said he hasn't received anything from the FSU Dean of Students related to a student conduct code hearing.

ORIGINAL STORY: Florida State University running back Karlos Williams is the suspect in an alleged domestic battery case currently under investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department.

TPD received the case Saturday night from FSU and immediately assigned it to its Criminal Investigation Division, according to a media release sent Monday afternoon. No other details were given. TPD and the Florida State University Police Department both said they do not have a written report on the case.

Officer David Northway, TPD spokesman, said the alleged crime is an active ongoing investigation and he would not discuss details of the case.

"Once the case is complete, it will be released under the guidelines of Florida Public Records Law," he said.

The incident is said to have occurred Wednesday, according to Northway. But police did not release any information on where or when it happened. Tallahassee attorney Tim Jansen said he is representing Williams. He declined to comment.

FSU Athletics said Williams' playing status is "under review" ahead of Thursday's game against the University of Louisville.

"The Athletics Department is aware of an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department involving football student athlete Karlos Williams," the university said in an emailed statement. "Until we receive more information regarding the alleged incident his status with the team will be under review."

Williams was in full practice pads at the Seminoles' practice Monday afternoon. Head Coach Jimbo Fisher canceled his previously scheduled Monday evening news conference.

Rumors began to swirl last week that Williams was going to be suspended. Fisher quashed those rumors at a Friday news conference.

"No, there's another false report," Fisher said Friday. "It's amazing how things happen out here. Whoever's got sources and whoever's got rumors need to check who they're talking to because that is about as far from the truth as there is."

Williams was listed on a TPD incident report in June related to an armed robbery. He was listed as an associate meaning he was known to the person who was eventually arrested for the crime, Daravius Lawrence, then 17. Lawrence, now 18, according to a probable cause affidavit, was arrested in July and charged as an adult. The details of that case were not immediately available to the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday.

Northway said TPD got little cooperation from Williams in that case.

Northway said police set up a time to talk with Williams at the police station, but Williams never showed up. They then tried to call him, and he never answered his phone. Eventually, Northway said, they got in touch with his girlfriend who said the two had a lawyer and did not want to talk to police.

The state attorney, Northway said, decided to charge Lawrence without speaking to Williams.