Lions WR Jameson Williams is halfway through a two-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, but he nearly found himself in even more trouble earlier this month.
The third-year receiver, who was suspended at the start of last season for gambling, was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car after a traffic stop on Oct. 8, 7 News Detroit reported, but he managed to avoid arrest.
Williams has 361 yards and three touchdowns in six games this season, showing flashes of the player the Lions expected he'd be when they traded up to draft him in the first round in 2022. But the latest incident is one more reason to be skeptical of the Alabama product's future in Detroit.
Here's what you need to know about the traffic stop involving Williams, including why he wasn't arrested after being placed in handcuffs.
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What did Jameson Williams do?
Williams and his brother were pulled over in Detroit after midnight on Oct. 8, and the Lions WR was placed in handcuffs after police allegedly found an illegal gun in the car.
Two guns were found in the car: One belonged to Williams' brother, who had a license for it, while the other belonged to Williams, who did not have a concealed pistol license. Police "told Williams he was going to be taken into custody for carrying a concealed weapon," ABC 7 News Detroit reported, and Williams was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car.
Williams, however, wasn't arrested and ended up being released at the scene. Here's a closer look at why he wasn't charged.
Why wasn't Jameson Williams arrested?
Detroit police are investigating why Williams wasn't arrested despite officers initially pushing back on his pleas to avoid charges.
Body camera footage revealed Williams told police multiple times that he plays for the Lions in an apparent attempt to evade punishment.
“I play for the Lions, bro. I’m Jameson Williams," Williams said. "Bro, I play for the Detroit Lions."
Williams told police he needs the gun for protection because he lives in Detroit, but police still proceeded with the plan to take him in for booking. Then a sergeant arrived on the scene and made it clear he's a Lions fan, which is likely at the heart of the internal investigation.
"Body camera footage also showed that the sergeant’s cellphone wallpaper was the Lions logo," ABC 7 News Detroit reported, adding that the sergeant immediately recognized Williams' name.
While the sergeant is heard telling the Detroit Detention Center that Williams is coming in, he's heard talking to someone on the phone who apparently gives him the green light to let Williams go. The incident had not been publicly known until Tuesday.
Williams wasn't arrested, but it certainly seemed that might have been the result of preferential treatment. The Wayne County prosecutor's office disagreed, announcing on Nov. 25 that no legal action would be issued against Williams. The Detroit Police Department went forth with a warrant request against the Lions standout on a concealed weapons charge in early October.
Prosecutors concluded that the case law is silent regarding the issue and legislative intent of the concealed pistol license (CPL) statute does not support charges against Williams based on the facts of the case.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy released a statement after the announcement, proclaiming that the prosecutor office ignored Williams' NFL status to examine the case objectively.
"We did not consider that Mr. Williams is a Detroit professional athlete in our decision making," Worthy wrote. "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."
