RED STICK, La. – In a $ 50 million federal lawsuit, an LSU associate athletic director has accused university officials of retaliating against her for denouncing racist comments and inappropriate sexual behavior by the former football coach. dels Tigres Les Miles.
Sharon Lewis’ lawsuit says she was denied a pay raise and was verbally abused after going to officials on charges against Miles, including the accusation that she was “too girls blacks “employed in athletics and an incident when a student was accused him of“ getting on ”on the couch in his office. He also accuses LSU officials of working with a law firm to cover up complaints against Miles, including one who participated in “explicit sexual acts” with a student.
“This lawsuit is an eight-year-old work in progress,” Miles ’attorney Peter Ginsberg said in an emailed statement. Miles has denied allegations that he sexually assaulted the students.
Lewis, a former Tigers track star, is the associate athletic director for football recruiting and alumni relations at LSU. His lawsuit, filed in Baton Rouge, is the university’s latest success after an independent investigator determined the school abused allegations of sexual misconduct by student-athletes and Miles.
“We are disappointed that a 20-year-old employee, who has received several promotions throughout her career and currently serves as associate athletic director, is filing a lawsuit against the university,” attorney Winston DeCuir said in an email electronic. “After his lawyer’s press conference, we believe this lawsuit is an attempt to take advantage of the situation for personal gain.”
Numerous LSU officials refused to testify Thursday in Baton Rouge at a legislative hearing on the ongoing scandal, sending DeCuir on its behalf.
Several LSU students told the committee that they do not believe college leaders are doing enough to improve the climate.
“It still looks like the university is waiting for everything to go away,” said Charlie Stephens, second at LSU’s School of Mass Communications.
Lewis ‘lawsuit says his complaints to LSU about Miles’ behavior provoked retaliation from Miles, Deputy Executive Director Verge Ausberry, Senior Associate Sports Director Miriam Segar and others. He also alleges the formation of a “company” whose members conspired to protect the university from allegations of sexual harassment and allegations of violations of the federal Title IX sex discrimination law. The alleged company included five current or former board members of LSU, Ausberry, Segar, former athletic director Joe Alleva and lawyers from a law firm – Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips – hired by the university to investigate the accusations.
Vicki Crochet, Taylor Porter’s lawyer and accused of Lewis’ lawsuit, did not immediately respond to the request for comment. However, in a letter to a state Senate committee, he argued that Taylor Porter address the allegations.
“We are behind our analysis and the thorough work we did for LSU,” he wrote, saying student confidentiality was a key concern.
Miles was recently fired as Kansas football coach after the launch of a 148-page review by law firm Husch Blackwell on LSU’s treatment of sexual misconduct complaints across campus.
Lewis ’suit says Miles told him in 2009 that there were“ too many black girls ”employed in the athletics department. He says he refused to fire them.
Lewis said Ausberry ordered him to arrange for Miles to interview students at night in his office. The lawsuit says some of the women interviewed reported that Miles “asked them about their sex lives.”
Lewis said he eventually suffered a mental breakdown as a result of hostility and harassment.
The university hired law firm Husch Blackwell after it was reported by USA Today that it was examining LSU’s treatment of sexual assault cases involving two former football players. Ausberry and Segar were briefly suspended without pay.
Lawmakers expressed frustration Thursday with the university’s refusal to fire employees of the athletic department listed in the investigation report.
“People have seen bad actors and there were no consequences,” said Sen. Beth Mizell, the second Senate Republican.