A 2013 internal investigation into LSU accused ex-coach Les Miles of inappropriate behavior toward women, but did not find Miles having sex with any of the women, according to an investigation report released Thursday by the university.
According to the research report, first published by USA Today and obtained by ESPN, Miles was accused of contacting students via Facebook and texting, meeting them alone off-campus and kissing at least one of them.
According to the report, Miles strongly denied kissing the student and said he did nothing wrong, that he was advising young women in college. Athletic department staff accused Miles of saying that the student workers who helped attract the best recruits to the football team “needed a certain look,” implying that this meant being attractive, blond, and fit. according to the report, and that if existing student workers do not fit this description, they should be given fewer hours or fired.
In a statement provided to ESPN, Miles’s attorney, Peter Ginsberg, said the publication of the investigation, which was done by law firm Taylor Porter on behalf of LSU, “should put an end to inaccurate reports and without basis that coach Les Miles participated in an inappropriate touch by a student volunteer from the Atlético Department eight years ago. “
“As the report concludes, the allegation that coach Miles attempted to kiss the woman was not supported by any evidence and did not justify any discipline:“ We do not believe that under current law and the terms of the contract , there are grounds to discipline and / or terminate. “Coach Miles. Coach Miles then denied, as he now denies, that such conduct had occurred.”
Miles’ attorney said a second woman filed a similar complaint that was not supported in the findings.
According to the investigation report, the “vague and inconsistent behavior and statements of the woman are such that she does not appear to be a reliable source of information.” The woman claimed, according to the report, that she was “subjected to an unwanted touch.”
Taylor Porter’s investigation determined that “we can’t determine what happened” in Miles’ car, where the first woman said Miles had kissed her twice.
Although no verdict has been said on what actually happened in the car, the report stated that “there is little doubt that the conduct, if true, is inappropriate and unacceptable” and that even accepting the version from what Miles went through, it appears that he has shown poor judgment in placing himself (and the student employee) in a situation where the student employee may be uncomfortable and / or may be subject to this complaint. “
As a result of the investigation, LSU issued a letter of recrimination to Miles and ordered him to stop hiring students to babysit and was not allowed to be alone with them.
The report ultimately determined that “LSU could not prove any legal violation,” according to a letter from law firm Taylor Porter to Ginsberg, but “LSU concluded that Miles had conduct that demonstrated ill-judgment.” .
Miles, who is now head coach in Kansas, also had to attend eight one-hour sessions with a lawyer and pay for them himself.
A Kansas athletics spokesman told the Lawrence Journal-World that the university was in the process of reviewing the research report.
“We are also aware that LSU will issue an additional report tomorrow (Friday) and we will wait for comments until we review both documents,” the spokesman told Journal-World.
USA Today has reported widespread handling of allegations of sexual misconduct by LSU’s athletic department and administration. As a result, LSU hired law firm Husch Blackwell in November to audit its treatment of dozens of cases of sexual conduct since 2016.
The results of this research will be announced on Friday.