DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will not be charged with a crime after he was found with a gun in a car driven by his brother, a prosecutor said Monday.
The gun on the floor was registered to Williams, but he didn't have a concealed-carry permit. His brother did.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Michigan law is “far from clear” when applied to the 1 a.m. traffic stop on Oct. 8. “We really could not recall any case that had facts that mirrored this case,” she said.
Williams was riding in a car driven by his brother when Detroit police stopped the vehicle for speeding. Williams said one of two guns in the car belonged to him and was registered.
But without a concealed-pistol license, known as a CPL, a Michigan gun owner typically must place the weapon in a closed case while in a vehicle. A violation is a felony. In this case, Williams' brother had a permit.
“The CPL holder here was the driver and had care, custody and control of the car," Worthy said. “Guidance is needed for the future on how many weapons can a valid CPL say that they have control over.”
Williams obtained a CPL on Nov. 6, a month later, attorney Todd Flood said.
“My client is thankful and humbled by the hard work Kym Worthy and her team put into this matter,” Flood said.
During the traffic stop, Williams was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car before officers released him with his gun instead of taking him to a detention center.
Williams, a first-round draft pick in 2022, has 29 catches for 602 yards and four touchdowns this season.
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Ed White, The Associated Press
