- Video shows interview with Cooley Law School Professor, Mark Dotson, about the legal perspective surrounding the case against former MSU Head Football coach, Mel Tucker.
- Tucker's legal team delivered a 'Notice to Preserve Electronic and Hard Records' to Michigan State University
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Following Michigan State University’s recent official termination of Former Head Football Coach, Mel Tucker, his legal team has responded with a notice to the university that it must preserve all electronic and hard records.
I was able to speak with Cooley Law School Professor, Mark Dotson, and not only does this suggest the likelihood of a lawsuit, but the requests within the notice give us some insight as to where this lawsuit, from Tucker’s team may be headed, “Not only are they asking that evidence be preserved, but they are asking for evidence related to how other claims under the same policy for the last ten years have been adjudicated,” explained Dotson.
Professor Dotson further helped break down why the request made by Tucker’s team to look at previous claims at MSU, under the same policy, would be relevant, “They’re looking for circumstances where they decided maybe similarly that conduct did not warrant an investigation initially."
While that is one avenue for Tucker and his legal team, another argument put to question is the status of how long the alleged victim was a vendor of the university, “Her status as a vendor, gives Michigan State jurisdiction to get involved in Coach Tucker’s life.”
If the alleged victim was not an on-going vendor, and there were gaps of time for which she was disconnected from the university, “Which then would make what Tucker did entirely private,” asserted Dotson.
Some may argue that the university should never have been involved in investigating the matter in the first place.
As for what’s next, a hearing is scheduled for next week to determine if Tucker violated the university’s sexual misconduct policy, and if Tucker does indeed file a lawsuit.
Lastly, one final question left for Dotson was whether Tucker could come out of this with damages in his favor for the 80 million dollars that is left on his contract, for which Dotson replied, "Plus interest. If it goes to trial, either he gets all of it or he gets none of it.”
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