LAWSUIT: Former Student Acquitted in Boulder Sex Assault Case Sues CU Boulder
A former University of Colorado student acquitted by a jury of sexual assault is suing the university for gender discrimination, saying CU failed to conduct a fair investigation before suspending him. William Norris filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court against CU Boulder for violation of Title IX and breach of contract and against Chancellor Phil DiStefano for denial of due process. The complaint points out that Norris’ suspension left him six credits short of his degree and caused him “economic injuries, the loss of educational and career opportunities and emotional distress.” Mr. Norris’ case is an exemplar of the injustice that occurs as a result of colleges and universities applying a low burden of proof, the preponderance of the evidence standard, in sexual misconduct cases,” the complaint read. “Under this scenario, an individual may be found not guilty and acquitted of all charges in a criminal case but may still have his academic and career goals sidetracked or even destroyed.” “This case is a quintessential example of the injustice that occurs on college campuses – a flawed and inherently biased process that the U. S. Department of Education is now rightfully seeking to correct,” said Norris’ attorney, Andrew Miltenberg. “Under this star chamber scenario, my client was found not guilty and acquitted of all charges in a court of law, yet his career and academic prospects have been destroyed by the university’s wrongful proceedings.” In addition to damages, the lawsuit is asking that Norris’ record be cleared of the suspension, the complaint from the woman destroyed, and that Norris either be allowed to return to CU to finish his degree or transfer credits to obtain the degree.
dailycamera.com By Mitchell Byars
