The likelihood of serious consequences for Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions is very low

One local attorney says the Detroit Police Department’s investigation into its handling of a gun incident involving Jameson Williams probably won’t lead to a worst-case scenario for Detroit Lions wide receiver

Wade Fink, a criminal justice attorney in Birmingham, told The Detroit News that it is “extremely unlikely that (the charge) will remain a felony” if Williams is indeed charged. One possible outcome is that Williams is placed on a year of probation under the Holmes Youth Act, a statute that allows offenders between the ages of 17 and 24 to have serious charges removed from their permanent list, he said.

“The likelihood that Jameson Williams will suffer a permanent criminal offense or imprisonment or any negative consequences that we think of is very, very small,” Fink said. “However, there is still a lot of indignity in making allegations and going through the system. Point. So, that’s a shame.”

on Tuesday WXYZ-TV reports that Williams, 23, was riding in the passenger seat of a car driven by his brother on Oct. 8 when Detroit police pulled both over for speeding. Williams’ brother immediately told police that there were two guns in the car, one registered to each brother.

When officers discovered that only Williams’ brother had a CPL and not Williams, they decided to handcuff Williams and put him in the back of the patrol car, according to the report. Management arrived on the scene and eventually, after making several phone calls to their superiors, decided to release Williams without punishment.

However, questions raised by WXYZ led DPD to reopen the incident and file a warrant request with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which could theoretically lead to firearms charges against the third-year Lions. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has not made a decision on whether the warrant request will be approved.

Fink said there is no certainty that the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office will approve the warrant.

“Prosecutors make a decision on bringing charges. The police are making suggestions and investigating. “At the end of the day, prosecutors make the decision whether to dismiss or press charges, regardless of what the police want,” Fink said.

“There are times when prosecutors and police disagree and prosecutors either dismiss the charges or vice versa.”

Fink said the decision to release Williams after he was allegedly handcuffed for carrying a gun without a concealed carry permit (CPL) was a “good process” that “seemed like a bad process.”

“It’s a normal, proper use of discretion by police officers, and it upsets me that the narrative that came out and the way the WXYZ report (was) written to suggest that something untoward or inappropriate happened because he was a Lions player , said Fink. “These things happen all the time when dealing with police officers and ordinary citizens, and that’s how it should be.”

According to WXYZ , a sergeant arrived on the scene after Williams was handcuffed, and the sergeant immediately recognized Williams as a Lions player. The report said body camera footage showed the sergeant had the Lions logo on his phone wallpaper, raising questions about whether Williams was given special treatment because of his status as a high-level athlete.

According to Fink, who acknowledged that Williams “certainly could have been more responsible in making sure he had a CPL or otherwise stored the gun in a way that would not be considered concealed,” said DPD’s “good process” was reflected in three main factors.

“One factor is the fact that you have two registered firearms. I think another is the fact that at least one of the passengers had a proper CPL. I think the third factor that isn’t talked about is the immediate disclosure of firearms information. the presence of a firearm in the vehicle during the traffic stop,” Fink said.

“In other words, nobody is trying to hide anything. The police have to have a reason to search your car. They can’t just pull you over and say, ‘I’m going to search your car.’ that no one is trying to hide anything.”

DPD released a statement Tuesday evening which cited “new allegations and facts” as the reason for reopening the investigation. Fink said the issuance of a warrant for a situation where no one has been charged is “uncommon.”

DPD said in a statement: “The investigation continues to develop and new information has come to light which we are actively pursuing,” the statement said. “We take every investigation seriously, especially when new allegations and facts emerge, and we aim to act quickly and transparently. Once new facts are confirmed, we make the necessary changes to our decision-making process. Let it be clear: No one in the city of Detroit is above the law. Anyone who commits a crime will be prosecuted, regardless of their position or status.”

Detroit Police Corporal Dan Donakowski told The News on Wednesday that he did not have any information on when the video of Williams’ stop would be released. He said he was not sure if a police report had yet been made about the incident.

The NFL released a statement on the incident on Tuesday, saying: “The Lions immediately notified the league when they became aware of this matter. We have no comment at this time.”

The WXYZ report said their questions about DPD’s handling of the incident “prompted … an internal affairs investigation into the stop and decision not to arrest the Lions receiver.”

Fink said it’s an example of police “(being) exposed to news stories that misunderstand the law and law enforcement procedure,” and fears that the public test could lead to DPD curtailing its discretion where warranted.

“(Officers) asked their superiors, who asked their superiors, and a decision was made. That’s not uncommon,” Fink said. “…Now you have put a young child in harm’s way by threatening him with a felony. And I promise you, other people are (now) in danger too, because this kind of pressure is not (yielding) in favor of sanity, it (yielding) in favor of, “Arrest now and ask questions later.”

Williams, selected 12th overall in the 2022 NFL Drafthas 17 catches for 361 yards (21.2 yards per catch) and three touchdowns in six games this season. Williams is serving a two-game suspension violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substancesand missed Sunday’s 52-14 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Staff writer Julia Cardi contributed to this story.

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