RE: Why is this guy still playing?
My gut feeling is that he should not be playing. It certainly seems like there's enough smoke around this, and this is a subject that shouldn't be messed around with.
However, a little more info, which might explain why it's not cut and dry:
"No battery charges have been filed against Josh Ball, although the investigation of the Florida State offensive lineman continues, according to a report by the Tampa Bay Times.
A hearing is scheduled for this afternoon at the Leon County Courthouse where a 20-year-old woman is seeking protection from Ball for "dating violence."
The woman reported two incidents of the alleged battery to law enforcement in September, the Times reports. Ball was interviewed by police in September and said he did not hurt the woman, according to the report. Ball also has shown to police a video of the woman hitting him "repeatedly" and threatening to "ruin his life" if he would not allow her to leave, the report states.
The State Attorney's Office has reviewed the case but "based on the time delay in reporting, prior requests not to prosecute and conflicting statements" did not press charges, according to the Times.
Ball has played in eight games for FSU this season, starting the last four games."
Now under Willie Meggs, the State Attorney's office was ridiculously overzealous in going after FSU players (contrary to popular belief), and so my general guide was that if the State Attorney didn't think there was a case there, there must be literally NOTHING, because they went after FSU players every way they could.
I don't know if that's still the case post-Meggs, so I don't know if that holds.
If he really does have video of her hitting him and threatening him, and she's been caught in lies etc, then it may be a case that's virtually impossible to bring charges on and get a conviction. However, that doesn't mean that there is nothing going on...it just might mean that she has her part in it as well. But what she does isn't ultimately the concern of FSU or the football program. Even if it's both-sided, if this is a violent relationship, FSU can't tolerate it. If nothing can be proven to justify suspending him or kicking him off the team, my preference would still be that they cut ties with him after the season and tell him to transfer, and be honest with prospective schools why.
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