Talk of settlement in Winston case

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — There were discussions of a settlement earlier this year between representatives for Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and the woman who said he sexually assaulted her.

Attorneys for both sides strongly disagree, however, on the details of the talks and who initiated them.

David Cornwell, an attorney who advises the Winston family, said in a Sept. 23 letter to Florida State obtained by The Associated Press that the woman’s former lawyer Patricia Carroll demanded $7 million in February to settle her potential claim against Winston, the university and the Tallahassee Police Department.

Baine Kerr, one of the lawyers for the woman, said in a statement emailed to the AP that Cornwell sought the settlement. Winston was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department and State Attorney Willie Meggs did not press charges due to a lack of evidence.

Bledsoe, Suns come to terms on deal

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns and point guard Eric Bledsoe have reached agreement on a five-year, $70 million contract, capping a long, sometimes-tense negotiation to keep him in the desert.

The deal is considerably more than the four-year, $48 million the Suns initially offered but well below the five-year, $80 million-plus maximum contract Bledsoe’s agent, Rich Paul, sought for the restricted free agent.

The sides didn’t budge in the negotiations until talks finally progressed in the last few days.

Bledsoe faced an Oct. 1 deadline to sign a $3.7 million qualifying offer to play for the Suns this season, then become an unrestricted free agent.