Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston complied with the first deadline in the school's code of conduct hearing, Winston's attorney said Friday.
Attorney David Cornwell, who is representing Winston, said Winston will cooperate with the hearing but "will not waive of our right to challenge any aspect of this process." A woman accused Winston of sexually assaulting her at an off-campus apartment in December 2012 and State Attorney Willie Meggs declined to bring charges against Winston after an investigation last year, citing a lack of evidence.
The FSU hearing will determine whether the Heisman-winning quarterback violated four sections (two for sexual misconduct and two for endangerment) of FSU's student honor code.
Winston had a Friday deadline to schedule an information hearing with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Cornwell, on behalf of Winston, struck from a list one of the three former Florida Supreme Court Justices that are being considered for the case, but did not reveal which judge he struck. The accuser's attorney told ESPN he also struck a judge from the list but also did not reveal which one.
Earlier this week, John Clune, the accuser's attorney, accused Cornwell of seeking to delay the hearing to keep Winston on the field. Cornwell told ESPN on Friday that he still had concerns about the hearing's procedures, including the FSU guideline that attorneys cannot speak on behalf of a charged student.
"I'm not walking this kid into a firing line without the necessary weapons," Cornwell said, per ESPN.
Cornwell reportedly requested more information from Winston's accuser, including "all of her prior statements regarding her sexual relationship with Mr. Winston, access to her social media accounts from 2012/2013, and her phone and text message records the night of and the days following the alleged incident."
Clune said Cornwell seeks to turn the hearing into a "media circus."
"We would think his client has had enough of that lately," Clune wrote in an email, per The Associated Press. "Both sides will get the same information from the school, both will be able to testify, and the judge will decide. We are not going to allow a whole new disciplinary process just for Jameis Winston."
Winston is expected to start Saturday for undefeated Florida State against Notre Dame, which is also unbeaten.
