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["Juliette Grimmett" <>]

Sorry, I seem to forget the no attachments stuff!  Here's the article.

February 13, 2008
Court Reinstates Lawsuit Accusing University of Minimizing Rape
Allegations

An appeals court in Washington State has revived a lawsuit accusing the
University of Washington of being indifferent to rape allegations
against one of its star football players.

Monday’s ruling, by a three-judge panel of the state’s Court of Appeals,
sends the lawsuit back to trial. The case, which was brought in 2004 by
a former student who said she had been raped by the player, was
dismissed by a trial judge in 2005.

The appeals court did not rule on the facts of the case, but found that
there was evidence to argue before a jury that the university had played
down the accusations against the player, Roc Alexander.

The accuser, identified in court documents only by her initials, S.S.,
was a freshman who worked as an assistant equipment manager for the
football team at the time of the alleged rape, in 2001. She said Mr.
Alexander had raped her in her dormitory room after she ended their
consensual relationship.

When she notified top athletics officials of the alleged assault, she
said, they asked her not to contact the police for fear that the
allegations would reflect poorly on the football team.

Mr. Alexander, a defensive back, was a freshman on the team that went
11-1 and won the 2000 Rose Bowl. He joined the National Football League
in 2004 and now plays for the Houston Texans.

A series last month in The Seattle Times, based largely on court
documents that have only recently become available, reported that many
players on the 2000 UW squad — regarded as “magical” on the field — were
plagued by accusations of criminal conduct. —Libby Sander
Posted on Wednesday February 13, 2008 | Permalink |

Comments

   1.

      sounds like the university legal eagles have gotten fat and lazy
and dropped this one, meanwhile the “athletic supporters” won this one
for their tailgaters, while the young woman gets to enjoy a lifetime of
therapy. just disgraceful. my thoughts are with her.

      — gm    Feb 14, 10:40 AM    #
   2.

      You know what looks a lot worse for the football team than a rape
allegation? A cover-up of a rape allegation.

      — ksm    Feb 14, 11:19 AM    #
   3.

      As horrible as rape is, the lessons of Duke weigh heavily on any
administrator’s mind, and even one step in the direction of official
investigation can result in devastating effects on a potentially
innocent young man’s life. That said, all charges must be investigated,
thus the conundrum. What may appear to be administration’s delayed
reaction often involves administrators thrust into the role of amateur
investigators, trying to keep things below the radar. They’re
ill-equipped for this type of task. It’s just an impossible situation.
Now on the other hand, there are Neanderthals out there who still think
that rape is caused by women.