Prosecutor: Lions’ Jameson Williams won’t face charges after review

DETROIT — No legal action will be issued against Detroit Lions wide receiver  Jameson Williams stemming from his Oct. 8 traffic stop, Wayne County prosecutors said.

After reviewing a warrant request on a concealed weapons charge, the Wayne County prosecutor’s office concluded that the warrant was denied because the case law is silent regarding the specific issue and the legislative intent of the concealed pistol license (CPL) statute does not support charges under these facts.

Prosecutor Kym Worthy released a statement, saying that the office looked at the case thoroughly and objectively despite Williams’ NFL status.

“We did not consider that Mr. Williams is a Detroit professional athlete in our decision making,” she 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 do not take into consideration who the potential defendant is, how much power and influence they have, or how beloved they may be. We deal with the facts and the law only.”

The Detroit Police Department also issued a statement expressing its thanks to Wayne County prosecutors “for their thoughtful deliberation of this complex legal matter.”

“This case illustrates just how challenging on-scene arrest determinations and subsequent charging decisions can be in new and unique situations, such as the one here,” the statement read. “While no charges will be issued 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 riding as a passenger in a vehicle driven by his brother when they were stopped on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at approximately 1:02 a.m. by two Detroit police officers in a fully marked scout car. The officers observed a black sedan with an obscured license plate allegedly driving over the speed limit and in an unsafe manner, the report said.

Police asked Williams’ brother if there were any 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 the same. There were also no facts in this case that would support a finding that Williams is a criminal or dangerous individual, per the Wayne County prosecutor’s office’s analysis.

Jameson Williams, who repeatedly identified himself as a player for the Lions during the stop, according to body camera audio, was handcuffed and put in the back of a police car, but he was later released at the scene when a Detroit Police Department supervisor arrived.

The brother who was driving the car was issued traffic citations. Worthy said that they had a team of issued lawyers evaluate the case and that all agreed that they reached the best decision under 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 that they have control over? Despite all of this, if Mr. Williams had the gun on his person, he would have been charged,” Worthy said. “I urge the legislature to immediately look closely at this law so that the prosecutors in Michigan can have steady and meaningful guidance in the future.”

Williams was selected 12th overall by the Lions in 2012 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 he accepted on Oct. 24, calling it a “complete surprise.”

Since his reinstatement, Williams exploded for a career-best 124 yards with a touchdown in Week 11 versus Jacksonville. The 10-1 Lions are off to their best start in 90 years, and Williams says he has learned to “move smarter.”

“I’ve always been the same person. It don’t change me, never will change me. Certain people want to see you down, certain people want to see you with your head down and not doing the right thing, not making the right decisions, but I’m me,” Williams told reporters Nov. 6. “I always come out of every situation the same person, and I’m always gonna be the same person every day.

“So, I really just was telling [my teammates] that I’m good and thanks. I appreciated everybody who checked on me.”