The domestic battery case involving Florida State's Karlos Williams has been moved to open/inactive, so no charges will be filed unless something changes, according to a police incident report released today. The reason, according to the report, is that the alleged victim, the mother of Williams's child, "has chosen not to make a statement or to meet with an investigator."
Tallahassee police started the investigation after Florida State general counsel Carolyn Egan forwarded them a screenshot of an Oct. 24 Facebook post by Miranda Wilhelm. It showed three pictures of a bruised arm with the caption: "This was done to me 2 nights ago by a man I have lived with for two years and bared two children by." Investigator Chris Papy called Wilhelm; she told him she had since taken down the post "because of all the feedback."
In their first phone conversation, on Oct. 25, Wilhelm didn't give Papy much. He asked her if she would be willing to give a statement, or give him copies of the pictures, or talk to a victim advocate. She answered every question, the report said, by saying she wanted to think about. Papy gave her his contact information and said he would call back Monday.
The next day, Sunday, he received an email from Wilhelm.
I had a few questions about the phone call we had yesterday. I am slightly confused and not sure how any of this works. If I just make a statement WITHOUT prosecuting him is that possible? Just needed a few answers before I made my decision.
Papy offered to have a victim advocate call her and answer her questions. When he came into work Monday, he had another email from Wilhelm. It read:
I have decided to not (underlined) press any charges or make any statements regarding the issue. I will, however, take help from victims advocate to help me withdrawal from school and start a new beginning with my life. Thank you for you're concern, this is my own personal decision that I have thought about for a few days, would be best for me and my kids.
Later that day, Wilhelm emailed the victim advocate.
I am not in town to come to the police department. And not sure why I have to make a statement that I don't want to press charges?
She also left a phone message for Meg Baldwin, director of the Refuge House, which provides services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Tallahassee.
From there, Papy tried to track down any possible witnesses, with no success, and on Oct. 29 a lawyer for Wilhelm sent him a signed non-prosecution agreement. Papy also tried to reach out to Williams but police were told he wouldn't talk by Williams's lawyer, the hardest working man in Tallahassee, Tim Jansen.
Unlike that other case involving a Florida State player, the report paints a picture of a police force genuinely investigating what happened and taking it seriously. It also reads like a typical narrative in the cycle of a domestic violence complaint that ends when there's little evidence, no witnesses, and zero cooperation. The report's last entry is "without a statement or additional evidence there is no way to further this case. This case is being classified as Open/Inactive."
Image via Associated Press