Attorneys release new details in lawsuit against Notre Dame
Attorneys for the plaintiff suing the University of Notre Dame released what they say is an investigative report of a conversation between plaintiff John Doe and an attorney hired by the university.
The report includes details about the alleged improprieties committed by the university employee, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Roe, who has since been terminated.
The plaintiff's attorneys, at Anderson Agostino & Keller, said the report was released in response to a statement from Paul Browne of the University of Notre Dame after the lawsuit was filed.
The plaintiff's attorneys say the report was prepared for the university while investigating whether Jane Roe violated the university's sexual discrimination and harassment policies and Title IX.
Paul Browne, Vice President, Public Affairs & Communications for the University of Notre Dame, released the following statement after the report was released by Doe's attorneys on Thursday:
Following a multimillion-dollar demand for money, plaintiff’s counsel made repeated, unsupported allegations that Notre Dame failed to act, when in fact the university acted immediately when it learned of a problem. The student identified as John Doe in the lawsuit complained on August 26 to the university’s Office of Institutional Equity about an employee’s conduct. The employee was identified in the lawsuit as Jane Roe. Soon thereafter, Notre Dame employed outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations. Although there was no professional relationship between Roe and Doe through the University, due to the nature of the allegations the University put Roe on leave pending resolution of the investigation. John Doe told the investigator that while the Roe never tried to seduce him, she pressured him to have sex with her daughter. Upon conclusion of the investigation and review of its findings, Notre Dame promptly terminated Roe on October 5. Further, a number of media outlets mistakenly reported that plaintiff was a student-athlete or that student-athletes were among other complainants. Neither is true. The sole plaintiff is not now and has never been a Notre Dame student-athlete.
Caitlin Rourk, a spokeswoman for the family of Jane Roe, released the following statement Thursday:
There are two sides to every breakup and that this is being played out in the media is incredibly painful to us. While we may not be a perfect family, we are a close-knit one and welcomed this young man into our lives at a time when he, himself said, he couldn’t rely on anyone else. We’re heartbroken that he has chosen to try to harm us in such a public manner, but with the help of our family and friends, we will get through this.
Doe, an African American student, is suing the university and Jane Roe alleging racial discrimination and sexual harassment.
Doe alleged in the lawsuit that Roe pressured him to have a sexual relationship with her daughter, then pressured him to stay in the relationship.
Click here to read the press release by the attorney for the plaintiff.