Meh... major college programs don't get in trouble anymore. They'll drop a nice sized settlement check to the plaintiffs but that will be offset by the millions by dollars of increased fundraising that will be generated when their fan base rallies around the flag proclaiming this is "much ado about nothing". See Florida State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Louisville, Oregon, Auburn, Baylor, etc.
Nothing will come of this. You are going to see these types of lawsuits nation-wide going forward, whether there is merit or not, because of the settlement FSU just made. The lawyers and the girls see $$$ out of the a$$. Tennessee's situation is a little unique because of the hatred directed at the men's sports programs from the short hairs that used to have their own women's athletic department. They are upset that the women's basketball program has gone completely down the toilet, despite them being the ones who have had full control of the program for the last decade, so they are looking for someone else to bring down with them. UT will likely settle and it will go away. But I guarantee you lawsuits like this will be the norm going forward.
The incident happened off campus as well. Jones also immediately indefinitely suspended the accused and none of the three ever rejoined the football program. The KPD and the state handle anyone who is accusing or being accused of rape and UT can't do a thing about that. So how can UT protect a football player as the lawsuit states when they have no jurisdiction of an off campus crime? One of the things being alleged by the accusers is that UT's system of discipline allows for the players to have a lawyer and cross examine witnesses...they're complaining that the system is broken because the players are allotted Due Process. Unreal. I wish UT would fight it, but I know in this day and age with social media, it's much easier to settle and move on.
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2016 10:19 AM by Marcus.)
Sounds like they should've pressed charges. Why would you trust a university where football is king (and the only thing most of the country outside of TN knows them for) to be completely fair?
That sounds messed up but the fact that college football is a billion dollar business is just as messed up.
(02-10-2016 10:05 AM)Marcus Wrote: Nothing will come of this. You are going to see these types of lawsuits nation-wide going forward, whether there is merit or not, because of the settlement FSU just made. The lawyers and the girls see $$$ out of the a$$. Tennessee's situation is a little unique because of the hatred directed at the men's sports programs from the short hairs that used to have their own women's athletic department. They are upset that the women's basketball program has gone completely down the toilet, despite them being the ones who have had full control of the program for the last decade, so they are looking for someone else to bring down with them. UT will likely settle and it will go away. But I guarantee you lawsuits like this will be the norm going forward.
The incident happened off campus as well. Jones also immediately indefinitely suspended the accused and none of the three ever rejoined the football program. The KPD and the state handle anyone who is accusing or being accused of rape and UT can't do a thing about that. So how can UT protect a football player as the lawsuit states when they have no jurisdiction of an off campus crime? One of the things being alleged by the accusers is that UT's system of discipline allows for the players to have a lawyer and cross examine witnesses...they're complaining that the system is broken because the players are allotted Due Process. Unreal. I wish UT would fight it, but I know in this day and age with social media, it's much easier to settle and move on.
It is already happening. A business associate of mine who works for a full service law firm told me they have been ratcheting up the billable hours in the defense of cases like this. On a related note, a guy I know who does plaintiff work told me he has been taking on a number of male clients in the past year or two who have been dismissed from universities without due process on rape allegations. Said he gets calls everyday for new perspective clients and schools have been paying money hand over fist. Lawyers will continue to take these type of cases while the "gettin' is good".
(02-10-2016 10:09 AM)DownOnRohs Wrote: Sounds like they should've pressed charges.
They did. The Tennessean is inaccurate saying it was an on campus incident. The entire thing was out of the University's hands as the incident took place off campus and the state and the KPD got involved.
The lawsuit is complaining that the University's system of discipline allows for the players involved to have a right to a lawyer and cross examine witnesses. Basically they don't like that the University allows due process for its players.
(02-10-2016 10:05 AM)Marcus Wrote: Nothing will come of this. You are going to see these types of lawsuits nation-wide going forward, whether there is merit or not, because of the settlement FSU just made. The lawyers and the girls see $$$ out of the a$$. Tennessee's situation is a little unique because of the hatred directed at the men's sports programs from the short hairs that used to have their own women's athletic department. They are upset that the women's basketball program has gone completely down the toilet, despite them being the ones who have had full control of the program for the last decade, so they are looking for someone else to bring down with them. UT will likely settle and it will go away. But I guarantee you lawsuits like this will be the norm going forward.
The incident happened off campus as well. Jones also immediately indefinitely suspended the accused and none of the three ever rejoined the football program. The KPD and the state handle anyone who is accusing or being accused of rape and UT can't do a thing about that. So how can UT protect a football player as the lawsuit states when they have no jurisdiction of an off campus crime? One of the things being alleged by the accusers is that UT's system of discipline allows for the players to have a lawyer and cross examine witnesses...they're complaining that the system is broken because the players are allotted Due Process. Unreal. I wish UT would fight it, but I know in this day and age with social media, it's much easier to settle and move on.
It is already happening. A business associate of mine who works for a full service law firm told me they have been ratcheting up the billable hours in the defense of cases like this. On a related note, a guy I know who does plaintiff work told me he has been taking on a number of male clients in the past year or two who have been dismissed from universities without due process on rape allegations. Said he gets calls everyday for new perspective clients and schools have been paying money hand over fist. Lawyers will continue to take these type of cases while the "gettin' is good".
No question about it. I will not be surprised at all if AJ Johnson, one of the accused, countersues the alleged victim(s) in this case. When the original KPD investigation happened last year there were strong rumors two of the women involved in this case were going to get charged with purposely destroying evidence. I wish UT would fight this, but it's just easier and less damaging for them in this day and age to settle and move on.
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2016 10:42 AM by Marcus.)
02-10-2016 10:41 AM
BearcatMan
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(02-10-2016 10:05 AM)Marcus Wrote: Nothing will come of this. You are going to see these types of lawsuits nation-wide going forward, whether there is merit or not, because of the settlement FSU just made. The lawyers and the girls see $$$ out of the a$$. Tennessee's situation is a little unique because of the hatred directed at the men's sports programs from the short hairs that used to have their own women's athletic department. They are upset that the women's basketball program has gone completely down the toilet, despite them being the ones who have had full control of the program for the last decade, so they are looking for someone else to bring down with them. UT will likely settle and it will go away. But I guarantee you lawsuits like this will be the norm going forward.
The incident happened off campus as well. Jones also immediately indefinitely suspended the accused and none of the three ever rejoined the football program. The KPD and the state handle anyone who is accusing or being accused of rape and UT can't do a thing about that. So how can UT protect a football player as the lawsuit states when they have no jurisdiction of an off campus crime? One of the things being alleged by the accusers is that UT's system of discipline allows for the players to have a lawyer and cross examine witnesses...they're complaining that the system is broken because the players are allotted Due Process. Unreal. I wish UT would fight it, but I know in this day and age with social media, it's much easier to settle and move on.
It is already happening. A business associate of mine who works for a full service law firm told me they have been ratcheting up the billable hours in the defense of cases like this. On a related note, a guy I know who does plaintiff work told me he has been taking on a number of male clients in the past year or two who have been dismissed from universities without due process on rape allegations. Said he gets calls everyday for new perspective clients and schools have been paying money hand over fist. Lawyers will continue to take these type of cases while the "gettin' is good".
There was a particularly egregious incident of this that at Amherst College in Massachusetts:
There are incidents like this at almost every college campus with the new policy on sexual assault "investigations" at Universities in the US. If you're particularly interested in the miscarriage of justice in this sort of thing, Until Proven Innocent is a very interesting read about the Duke Lacrosse case, which pretty much jumpstarted this movement.. It's incredible how stuff like this is becoming commonplace.
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2016 10:50 AM by BearcatMan.)
Quote:The Tennessean, relying on university emails to the woman and her parents and a campus report, detailed how the investigation took what experts called an "unusual" turn. The case was transferred from one university department to another, with the charges against the football player dropped midway through the investigation and the eventual finding that the incident was "consensual." Typically, campus administrators do not conclude whether an incident was "consensual," instead finding there is not enough evidence for them to conclude an assault took place.
Unusual turn = payoff to the victim and family.
$EC
(This post was last modified: 02-10-2016 01:08 PM by Crewdogz.)
Quote:A lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Nashville claims University of Tennessee football players attacked a fellow player who helped a woman after she had allegedly been sexually assaulted.
More generally, the suit, which was obtained by PEOPLE, claims administrators at the University of Tennessee turned deaf ears to rape allegations brought against the school's male athletes, fostering a "hostile sexual environment" that made female students particularly "vulnerable" on campus.
PEOPLE obtained a copy of the 64-page civil suit, which was filed by six female victims, identified only as Jane Does. Four are residents of Tennessee, one is from New York and one is from Florida.
One victim alleges she was raped by former players Mike Williams and A.J. Johnson in 2014. Both players have pleaded not guilty and have trials scheduled for June 27 and July 18, respectively.
The suit, filed by attorney David Randolph Smith, says that former wide receiver Drae Bowles, was "jumped" twice by his teammates in retaliation for supporting the victim's decision to go to the police with her rape allegations against Williams and Johnson. The suit also claims the team's coaches were aware of the attacks on Bowles.
Bowles transferred to a different school after the attacks, according to the suit.
In addition, the suit alleges that university officials feted the athletes with alcohol-fueled parties while "blame shaming" all six victims and treating them like criminals.
The players involved were not named as defendants in the federal lawsuit.
According to the suit, university officials are accused of "deliberate indifference to known sexual assaults," which, the plaintiffs argue, "condoned" additional attacks at the school.
Administrators' alleged lack of any kind of investigative response to the allegations allowed "perpetrators of sexual assaults, particularly varsity football and basketball players, to delay and altogether avoid sanctions and discipline," the suit says.
The school's administrative hearing process, the lawsuit insists, is also biased towards the university's football players.
In a statement, the university's general counsel Bill Ramsey said the school has "devoted significant time and energy to provide a safe environment for our students, to educate and raise awareness about sexual assault, and to encourage students to come forward and report sexual assault."
Ramsey's statement adds that victims if such crimes are offered "care and support" when such reports are made, and that "when warranted, the university takes disciplinary actions but will not do so in a manner that violates state law or the constitutional due process rights of our students."
His statement continues: "In the situations identified in the lawsuit filed today, the university acted lawfully and in good faith, and we expect a court to agree. Any assertion that we do not take sexual assault seriously enough is simply not true."
(02-12-2016 12:21 PM)chatcat Wrote: Apparently coach Jones did graduate work at the Richard Pitino school of I know nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing.
I thought that was the Sgt. Schultz school??
(This post was last modified: 02-12-2016 11:54 PM by Brian_Johnson.)
02-12-2016 11:48 PM
BearcatMan
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Even after the lawsuit, Butch has problems with 'em coming and trouble with 'em going in good ol' Rocky Top:
Quote:Since the filing of the lawsuit Feb. 9, one current and one recent Tennessee football player have been arrested.
Center Mack Crowder, who played his last game for Tennessee in the Outback Bowl, was arrested this past week in Pinellas County, Fla., as part of a child sex sting operation. Police say Crowder admitted to sending photos of his genitals to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female. Crowder is charged with five felonies.
On Wednesday, defensive lineman Alexis Johnson, who transferred into the university last month, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment after an alleged domestic violence incident on Sunday. His attorney, Gregory Isaacs, has said that Johnson plans to enter a not guilty plea. Johnson was suspended from the team following his arrest.
(02-21-2016 01:21 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote: Even after the lawsuit, Butch has problems with 'em coming and trouble with 'em going in good ol' Rocky Top:
Quote:Since the filing of the lawsuit Feb. 9, one current and one recent Tennessee football player have been arrested.
Center Mack Crowder, who played his last game for Tennessee in the Outback Bowl, was arrested this past week in Pinellas County, Fla., as part of a child sex sting operation. Police say Crowder admitted to sending photos of his genitals to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female. Crowder is charged with five felonies.
On Wednesday, defensive lineman Alexis Johnson, who transferred into the university last month, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment after an alleged domestic violence incident on Sunday. His attorney, Gregory Isaacs, has said that Johnson plans to enter a not guilty plea. Johnson was suspended from the team following his arrest.
(02-21-2016 01:21 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote: Even after the lawsuit, Butch has problems with 'em coming and trouble with 'em going in good ol' Rocky Top:
Quote:Since the filing of the lawsuit Feb. 9, one current and one recent Tennessee football player have been arrested.
Center Mack Crowder, who played his last game for Tennessee in the Outback Bowl, was arrested this past week in Pinellas County, Fla., as part of a child sex sting operation. Police say Crowder admitted to sending photos of his genitals to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female. Crowder is charged with five felonies.
On Wednesday, defensive lineman Alexis Johnson, who transferred into the university last month, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment after an alleged domestic violence incident on Sunday. His attorney, Gregory Isaacs, has said that Johnson plans to enter a not guilty plea. Johnson was suspended from the team following his arrest.
(02-21-2016 01:21 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote: Even after the lawsuit, Butch has problems with 'em coming and trouble with 'em going in good ol' Rocky Top:
Quote:Since the filing of the lawsuit Feb. 9, one current and one recent Tennessee football player have been arrested.
Center Mack Crowder, who played his last game for Tennessee in the Outback Bowl, was arrested this past week in Pinellas County, Fla., as part of a child sex sting operation. Police say Crowder admitted to sending photos of his genitals to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female. Crowder is charged with five felonies.
On Wednesday, defensive lineman Alexis Johnson, who transferred into the university last month, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment after an alleged domestic violence incident on Sunday. His attorney, Gregory Isaacs, has said that Johnson plans to enter a not guilty plea. Johnson was suspended from the team following his arrest.
Every athletic department is going to have things arise like this from time to time. The important thing is how the situation is handled. Fail to see how you can blame any head coach for the failings of past athletes after they're out of the program too.
Unless it's Urban Meyer, that is. The molder of murderers!
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Tennessee Football
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