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Ben Crump, the distinguished civil rights lawyer representing a number of former Northwestern student-athletes after the latest revelation of a hazing scandal throughout the college’s soccer program, introduced plans to file a lawsuit on behalf of at the least 15 people claiming to have been subjected to bodily, sexual and emotional abuse.
Crump, joined by a number of former Northwestern athletes, spoke at a press convention Wednesday. He mentioned he and co-counsel Steven M. Levin spoke with greater than 50 student-athletes, together with each women and men who mentioned they experienced hazing at the university.
Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats earlier than a recreation towards the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker/USA At the moment Sports activities)
“It’s obvious to us that it’s a poisonous tradition that was rampant within the athletic division at Northwestern College,” Crump mentioned.
FORMER NORTHWESTERN PLAYERS RETAIN PROMINENT CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AMID HAZING SCANDAL
“And what they shared with us was clearly a sample and observe of a tradition that was predicated on bodily intimidation, harassment, discrimination, abuse, each mentally and sexually, and it was normalized.”
Crump famous that a number of the college students concerned within the alleged abuse had been minors on the time. He additionally mentioned he and different attorneys have obtained disturbing particulars from former baseball and softball players on the college, along with rising complaints of abuse within the soccer program.
Northwestern College head baseball coach Jim Foster heads again to the dugout for a recreation towards Notre Dame at Wrigley Area in Chicago Might 16, 2023. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Pictures)
“It is a civil rights subject, for me, as a result of I feel these gamers had the proper to be revered and valued and never hazed and intimidated and retaliated [against],” Crump added.
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“And so within the days and weeks to return, I’m sure that others can have the braveness to inform their story. And I’m inspired by the telephone calls we’ve been receiving. These telephone calls from younger folks first telling their story and asking, ‘If I come ahead what’s going to occur to me?’ Properly I need them to know, you’ll be protected, and also you received’t be alone.”
Crump mentioned the lawsuit has not but been filed, however a separate legislation agency filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing ousted football coach Pat Fitzgerald of enabling a tradition of racism, together with forcing gamers of colour to chop their hair and behave otherwise to be extra according to the “Wildcat Method.”
Standing with former Northwestern athletes, lawyer Ben Crump speaks throughout a press convention addressing widespread hazing accusations at Northwestern College Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Picture/Erin Hooley)
Extra lawsuits, filed by a number of legislation corporations, are anticipated to observe.
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Northwestern President Michael Schill introduced in an open letter July 10 the choice to fireplace Fitzgerald after 17 seasons with the Wildcats got here because of an impartial investigation that discovered him at fault over his “failure to know and stop vital hazing within the soccer program.”
Fitzgerald was initially suspended two weeks following the confidential investigation, which didn’t discover “adequate” proof that the teaching workers knew in regards to the ongoing hazing. It additionally discovered that there have been, nevertheless, “vital alternatives” to search out out about it, and practically a dozen present or former gamers acknowledged the hazing throughout the program.
However as new data surfaced, together with allegations of racial bias, the college moved to fireplace Fitzpatrick.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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