Jameson Williams has run into several early-career hurdles, among them suspensions under the NFL’s gambling and PED policies. While a third suspension may come under the personal conduct policy, the third-year wide receiver is not set to be charged in connection with an October incident.
The Wayne County (Mich.) Prosecutor’s Office said Monday (h/t ESPN.com’s Eric Woodyard) that Williams will not be hit with a concealed weapons charge. A strange early-morning sequence October 8 involving Williams handcuffed led to the former first-round pick being released, only to see an investigation into the police department’s conduct that morning come under investigation.
Officers placed Williams in handcuffs and nearly booked him on a gun charge. Williams was to be taken to jail before being released from custody shortly prior to being booked. This incident occurred after midnight Oct. 8. An officer’s suspected effort to have Williams evade an arrest due to his Lions status was part of the investigation, as connections on this front surfaced. But the talented wideout will indeed do so six-plus weeks later.
“We have looked at this case thoroughly and objectively. We did not consider that Mr. Williams is a Detroit professional athlete in our decision-making,” prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. “We have charged Detroit area athletes before and would not have hesitated to do so again if the facts of this case would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Williams and his brother were pulled over in Detroit, and the stop led to Williams — the passenger in the vehicle — admitting he was in possession of a gun without a concealed pistol license. The arresting officer informed Williams he would be taken into custody. The officer’s bodycam footage includes Williams repeatedly saying he was a Lions player. “I play for the Lions, bro. I’m Jameson Williams,” the 23-year-old wideout said. While Williams was placed in the back of a squad car, he was not taken to jail.
A sergeant who arrived to back up the arresting officers soon made several calls to superiors asking if Williams needed to be arrested on this gun charge. The sergeant’s cellphone wallpaper included a Lions logo. The sergeant is heard indicating Williams would indeed be taken to jail on the charge, but a lieutenant then called back to indicate no booking would be necessary. The sergeant thanked the lieutenant, per Ross, and took Williams out of handcuffs.
“The CPL holder here was the driver and had care, custody and control of the car,” Worthy said Monday, referring to a concealed pistol license. “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.”
Williams could still be suspended under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, as no convictions are necessary for such punishment. An arrest certainly would have increased the chances of that happening. Williams, 23, served a gambling ban to start last season and was sidelined two games this year for a PED violation. He has played in nine games this season, showing tremendous on-field growth. Williams finished with 354 yards in 12 games last year; he is at 602 (with four touchdown receptions) this season.
He’s a good dude, just kind of a ding-dong.
Free Waymo
I don’t think that the deciding factor for charging was whether or not Williams had the gun “on” him. Underneath the seat that he was sitting in is enough to be equivalent to that, as it is constructive possession, and has been upheld many times in different courts across the country. An individual’s permit doesn’t extend to those sitting around him as an area of effect. Probable cause seems to definitely exist for Williams. The question to me is whether or not this charge is a mandatory arrest charge, or whether or not a suspect can be cited and released. It sounds like it is the latter, but once Williams was already arrested, it seems that the process should have been allowed to continue (particularly after he had already been transported; at that point, release absent exonerating evidence is extremely unusual).
It could have been due to his Lions status-having a Lions background while living in Detroit hardly seems like more than circumstantial evidences here-but it also just could have general reluctance to arrest. Williams seemed cooperative, and officers often try to cut suspects breaks if that’s the case. You’d think, however, that a sergeant would know whether or not a charge was mandatory arrestable without having to call a lieutenant to find out. Perhaps he wanted to avoid responsibility for making that call. In any case, it seems highly unusual, though not necessarily unlawful.
Seems he’s dodged another bullet( Literally). Guys like this hardly ever just ” Turn their lives around” on a dime. He’s constantly in situations where he’s ” In the wrong place at the wrong time”. Sooner or later, His luck is going to run out and be at the wrong strip joint at the wrong time, Or at the wrong party with the wrong people and we won’t be hearing from him anymore. He”ll either be suspended , Shot , Or in jail. Maybe all 3. So keep pushing the envelope. Can’t wait to see how it ends.
Kid better get his chit straight and right quick or he’s gonna find himself out of the league.
This guy is a moron, and highly overrated. He’s a mediocre WR2. Yes, a bust of a first round pick. I do not, for the life of me, understand Lions fans defending him.
Go look at MVS’ 2020 stats. Or Watson’s 2022 stats. Both are better than any career numbers Jamo has had. The only reason Jamo plays is because the Lions WRs straight up suck after ARSB.
He should have been arrested, and he absolutely should be suspended. Again.
Every single time I go and check to see who is randomly spouting information that even a 4-year old understands as a lie, it’s always a Bears fan. The only team in the NFC North who isn’t competing for anything has the fanbase that talks the most smack 😀
I don’t know about that. I agree, he needs to grow up before his career blows up, but he’s a devastating weapon. Were he available all year, his pace is for about 1200 yards for the season, 7 tds. Those are pretty great numbers. If that’s a bust then you’re about as observant as Jerry Jones.
Makes me sad that these dingleberries don’t understand the privileged position that their abilities have put them in. He gets suspended for gambling, suspended for PEDs, then for riding around with a gun. How bright do you have to be to figure out that all of these were avoidable and eventually the NFL will get tired of your stupidity and you’re on the outside looking in. You’ll be bagging groceries at Publix at 50, looking back wondering what happened, because these guys never put money away for later. I played (way back in the stone age) and even then everybody was sure they had a career in the NFL, nobody took their classes seriously and the ones that made it through had degrees like Physical Education (gym teacher), or my favorite Library History. Where are they now? Two guys did make it to the NFL (a kicker and a safety) the other 118 disappeared into the population at large. The guys who actually made it should really appreciate the chance instead of wasting it and take a spot from someone who may be 2% less talented, but would give 110% every day because they know it’s a privilege to play, not a right. I’m 65+, a grandpa with grandkids who play and that’s my 2 cents for what it’s worth. If you don’t like it, Oh well.
Williams plays a mature game, running the deep routes and willingly blocking for his teammates. He has evolved into becoming a factor of the Lions’ success – and his head coach does not strike me as a person who lets Williams play on talent alone (he has to outplay Raymond, who is a decent WR with a similar skillset). Here’s hoping that he finds a similar level of advanced maturity off the field as well.
Gruß,
BSHH