LAWSUIT: Male Sues MSU. Denied a Hearing. Says MSU ‘Rubber-Stamped’ Accuser’s Desired Punishment.
An MSU sophomore and fraternity member, claims he was falsely accused, unfairly treated and harshly punished during his Title IX investigation. The student, identified as John Doe, was suspended for two years from MSU. He alleges in the lawsuit that the university sided with the woman simply to “avoid further bad publicity” amid harsh criticism for its handling of sexual assault cases. The lawsuit claims that investigators ignored inconsistencies and physical impossibilities in the accuser’s story. Throughout the investigation, the lawsuit says Doe was never offered an in-person hearing or an opportunity to cross-examine the female or her witnesses. Doe’s lawyers say the investigation was flawed for several reasons, including:
• One of the lead investigators has a background as a sex crime prosecutor and he approached the case from a prosecutorial stance rather than as a neutral fact-finder.
• Investigators did not give the man adequate notice and details about the case, indicating the investigation was tainted by the outset by gender bias and a presumption of his guilt.
• The man was not offered a live hearing or an opportunity to cross-examine the alleged victim or witnesses.
• Investigators did not properly vet the woman’s witnesses.
• With no witnesses to the actual alleged assault itself, the resolution was just a “credibility contest” between the man and the woman.
• The man lost that contest due to “gender bias on the part of the investigator and intense pressure at Michigan State to convict the males accused of sexual assault.”Since being suspended, the complaint states, Doe has been labeled a rapist and says the suspension makes it difficult for him to transfer to another university. He has instead been attending a community college. The man also claims his suspension limits his ability to get a job, pursue graduate school, and has made him feel depressed and socially isolated. No criminal charges were filed against Doe.
wilx.com By Nik Siddall lansingstatejournal By Kara Berg
