MALE ATHLETE is Victim of False Accusation. He’ll Never Get a Fair Hearing. Drops Appeal.
Suspended from athletic competition and facing expulsion over accusations of sexual assault, University of Minnesota basketball player Reggie Lynch on Thursday dropped his appeals and slammed the process as unfair. Lynch was set to be part of an appeals process Thursday in one of two cases. Instead, he told reporters that while he was innocent of the accusations, he said he’d become a “victim of false accusations” and could not get a fair hearing in today’s climate. He said he felt “hopeless and powerless” and there was no way to defend himself. He said he planned to pursue a career in professional basketball. “I did not commit any of the acts that I’m accused of,” said Lynch, adding that he had been truthful to university investigators during the inquiry. “The truth did not set me free, however.” His lawyer, Ryan Pacyga, ripped the university’s appeal process as skewed toward the accusers. Sexual assault victims deserve compassion, justice and fairness, he said, adding, “people accused of sexual assault deserve those very same three things.” In the current environment, he said, “it’s a no-win situation for the accused and it’s not fair. We need to do better. It is a hypocrisy right now.”
mprnews.org By Peter Cox
