Duke Lacrosse Players To Sue Duke University and Durham, North Carolina

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The players of the lacrosse team say they plan to file the suit for both emotional and reputation damage. Many have said that they have suffered with their fellow teammates were accused of sexually assaulting an African-American exotic dancer. The amount of money has not been specified. The people filing the suit are both current and former players of the Duke lacrosse team.

“This lawsuit is borne of out Duke and Durham’s sustained wrongdoing and callous conduct against the players over many months in 2006 and 2006,” said Chuck Cooper who is the attorney for the lacrosse players.

The suit to be filed against both Duke University and Durham, North Carolina say the defendants intentionally and negligently caused emotional distress along with breaching duty when the three players were accused of assaulting the dancer at the party on March 14, 2006. The players were: David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann.

The season was cancelled as a result, Mike Pressler, who was the coach at the time had lost his position. The three had been exonerated in 2007. Mike Nifong, the district attorney at the time was disbarred for mishandling the case. Nifong had to spend a day in jail because of it.

Nifong will not be one of the defendants in the suit. However, defendants include Richard Brodhead the president of Duke University, Steven Chalmers the police chief of Durham, and Linwood Wilson who was the lead investigator for Nifong.

However, Pamela Bernard, the vice-president of Duke said in a recent statement: “If these plaintiffs have a complaint, it is with Mr. Nifong. Their legal strategy – attacking Duke – is misdirected and without merit.”