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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams won’t face any charges after he was pulled over last month, local prosecutors said on Monday.
Williams, who has been suspended twice now in his three seasons in the league, was facing arrest on a gun charge when he was pulled over after midnight on Oct. 8 in the Detroit area. But Williams was not taken to jail or charged in the incident, and a police sergeant who happened to be a Lions fan arrived on the scene.
Williams and his brother had two handguns in the car when they were pulled over. The guns were registered properly, and Williams’ brother has a concealed pistol license. Williams, however, does not and was facing a charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle.
But Williams was seen on body camera footage reportedly telling the officer that he played for the Lions. He was placed in handcuffs and put in a police car, but a sergeant later released Williams. The sergeant immediately recognized Williams, and had the Lions logo wallpaper on his phone. He was reportedly pleased to be releasing Williams, too, after speaking to a lieutenant on the phone.
“OK. Beautiful. I’m good to let him go?” the sergeant asks before hanging up. “You’re a [expletive] hero. Thank you so much.”
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Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement, via ESPN, that they were not going to file charges. They also said that they still acted objectively despite Williams being a member of the Lions.
“We did not consider that Mr. Williams is a Detroit professional athlete in our decision making,” she wrote, via ESPN. “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 issued a similar statement, too.
“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.”
The Lions selected Williams with the No. 12 overall pick in 2022. He missed most of his rookie season recovering from an ACL tear he sustained in college, and then was suspended during his second season for violating the league’s gambling rules. He was suspended two games earlier this season for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy, too.
Williams has been great since his return. He racked up a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown in their win over Jacksonville two weeks ago. He had a team-high 64 yards on five catches in their 24-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. That brought him to 602 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
The Lions will take on the Chicago Bears next on Thanksgiving. They currently sit at 10-1 and lead the NFC, which marks their best start since 1934.