BATON ROUGE -- A group of students is suing a Louisiana State University, claiming it allows for sexual misconduct and trauma to women and LGBTQ+.
Abby Owens, Samantha Brennan, Calise Richardson, Jade Lewis, Kennan Johnson, Elisabeth Andries, and Jane Doe each individually and on behalf of all other similarly situated members of the putative class filed a complaint on April 26 in the U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana against Louisiana State University, Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agriculture and Mechanical College, Tiger Athletic Foundation and multiple university faculty.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs believe that LSU's sexual misconduct response program has been in a state of complete neglect and dysfunction and that LSU and the Tiger Athletic Foundation ignore known issues in LSU’s response to reports of sexual misconduct "in favor of promoting and glorifying LSU student-athletes and coaches to reap the financial and reputational benefits of a venerated college football program."
The group of Plaintiffs, having attended LSU between the years 2013 and 2021 allege they are women who were victims of sex-based discrimination, including rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and/or stalking and trauma to be inflicted upon LGBTQ+ identifying individuals perpetrated by male LSU students, most particular male athletes. Each individual listed their personal experiences in the 118 page complaint.
Plaintiffs are seeking past, present, and future economic and non-economic damages, cost of suit, punitive damages, attorney's fees and costs of the suit plus interest and permanent injunction requiring LSU to comply Title IX. Plaintiffs are represented by Catherine E. Lasky, Elizabeth K. Abdour and Karen Truszkowski.
U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana case number 3:21-cv-00242-SDD-EWD