Athletes named in sexual assault lawsuit against Tennessee
Tennessee has been slapped with a lawsuit filed by six women who allege the school has created a student culture that enables sexual assaults by student athletes.
Former Volunteers basketball player Temi Makanjuola, as well as football players A.J. Johnson, Michael Williams, Riyahd Jones, and a current player identified as a "John Doe" are all accused of sexual assault in the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs cite more than a dozen incidents involving football players that include underage drinking, sexual harassment, assault, and armed robbery. They believe the blame begins at the top of the university's administration.
The lawsuit asserts the university violated Title IX laws, which protect students from gender discrimination in federally funded education programs.
"University of Tennessee administration (Chancellor Jimmy Cheek), athletic department (Vice-Chancellor and athletic director) Dave Hart and football coach (Butch Jones) were personally aware (as 'appropriate persons' under Title IX) and had actual notice of previous sexual assaults and rapes by football players, yet acted with deliberate indifference to the serious risks of sexual assaults and failed to take corrective actions," The Tennessean reports.
Part of the lawsuit also states that former football player Drae Bowles was assaulted by members of the football team after they learned he had assisted one of the rape victims.
Bowles allegedly took the victim to the hospital the night of the assault and supported her decision to notify the authorities. The following day, one of the plaintiffs witnessed a group of football players assaulting Bowles. He transferred to Chattanooga later that year.
The news comes on the same day that the football program self-reported four violations to the NCAA.