Woman files 2nd notice of claim against ex-Arizona HC Rodriguez, seeks $8.5M
The woman who filed a notice of claim against former Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez has filed a second notice of claim, this time against Rodriguez, his wife, and the University of Arizona seeking a total of $8.5 million, according to Kyle Bonagura of ESPN.
The initial claim by the woman, filed on Dec. 29 with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, sought a total of $7.5 million. The claim alleged that Rodriguez ran a hostile work environment, and had forced the former administrative assistant to assist in covering up an extramarital affair while also committing numerous acts of sexual assault, including groping and attempting to kiss her.
Rodriguez was subsequently fired by the university on Jan. 2.
Related: Details of sexual harassment claim against Rodriguez emerge after firing
The initial claim also alleged that members of the Arizona football team sent the woman pictures of their genitalia, and that Rodriguez ignored her complaints when she brought it to his attention. The new claim, adding the woman's husband as a claimant, outlines many of the original allegations while adding slander, defamation and false light, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to Bonagura.
Rodriguez released a personal statement following the filing of the second claim with the Arizona Board of Regents on Friday.
My family and I are thankful for all of your continued support. We are responding with respect to the legal process. As you can imagine we are (more than) eager for the facts to come out because the truth is on our side. We are aware of the amended complaint. See below. 👇🏽RR pic.twitter.com/qqjTXRLatt
— Rich Rodriguez (@RealCoachRod) January 21, 2018
The couple's lawyer, Augustine B. Jimenez III, penned a letter to the Arizona Board of Regents insisting the monetary settlement requested by her clients would be significantly less than what a potential trial would result in.
"If this case were to go to trial, in the current climate where #MeToo is in the headlines on a daily basis, neither male nor female jurors would have any sympathy for a public figure who used his authority and power to oppress and degrade his female assistant in such ways," Jimenez wrote. "Undoubtedly, the verdict could be in the tens of millions of dollars because the jurors would want to send a message to such high-profile and highly paid coaches that such abuses of power are not acceptable."
An email to Rodriguez's attorney from ESPN seeking comment on the new claim was not immediately returned, according to Bonagura.