LSU also requires school officials coaches included to report to police if they witness or are told about possible sexual misconduct or dating violence occurring on campus. USA Today reported that LSU women's tennis coach Mike Sell was informed that Davis punched one of . I have confidence today that the university is working to address our policies and processes when allegations arise.". She knew. Additionally, my parents called during that time span to express their concern, and my coaches brushed them off. College softball rankings: The top 25 teams in the NCAA this week, Quinnipiac stuns Minnesota to win first national title. Ole Miss. The report states that LSU "sat on the information for months, while Davis continued to assault and strangle her.". "Putting an end to sexual assault is an institutional priority, and we are constantly working to achieve that goal.". LSU attorney Johanna Posada confirmed to USA Today that four athletes were not disciplined: safety Grant Delpit, who was accused of recording a woman during sex without her knowledge and sharing the video with others, and running back Tae Provens, linebacker Jacob Phillips and tight end Zach Sheffer, who were all accused of rape. According to a redacted LSU Police Department arrest report obtained by ESPN, a woman reported four incidents of physical abuse by Davis between May 2017 and June 2018. A woman told the LSU Police Department of "four incidents of physical abuse by Davis between May 2017 and June 2018.". At one point, she was punched hard enough to fracture a rib. Davis was ordered not to have contact with the victim. He was not expelled from the University until July 18, 2019. I have in the past and will continue to take appropriate action and comply with reporting protocols. I personally went to Julia about it, and she responded with, Okay, Ill take care of it, but you need to worry about you and not other people, the teammate said. LSU Tigers wide receiver Drake Davis admitted punching a tennis player. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The investigation is expected to be completed in early spring and made available to the public, the school said. Our experts answer 6 portal questions, Wisc. The newspaper reported that the two coaches and athletic trainer later told police that they weren't aware of Davis' conduct until a year later. "However, we are not perfect, and we can, and will, do better," Galligan wrote. As LSU faces continuing deeper scrutiny into how the university has handled complaints of sexual harassment and violence on campus, multiple current employees have been implicated in the controversies over failures to report sexual harassment and dating violence when they learned of it. LSU has agreed to pay Husch Blackwell up to $100,000 for the law firms review of how the university has handled past sexual violence and assa. "However, we are not perfect, and we can, and will, do better," Galligan wrote. Bernhard denied that he ever threatened Lewis when the Advocate reached out to him. But those officials sat on the information for months while Davis continued to assault and strangle her. Who won the spring transfer cycle? LSU head coach Ed Orgeron announced the suspension for wide receiver Drake Davis, 21, during a Saturday afternoon news conference. Privacy Policy These women would be willing to confirm this information and corroborate my story, as one already has in the USA Today article. The report states that LSU "sat on the information for months, while Davis continued to assault and strangle her.". The article also details how "at least seven LSU officials" knew that football player Drake Davis was physically abusing his girlfriend at the time, an LSU tennis player. "A single instance of abuse or sexual violence is one too many.". Kenny Jacoby, Nancy Armour and Jessica Luther. The woman told police that Davis punched her hard enough to fracture one of her ribs in one instance, began to strangle her in another and later texted that he might kill her. Email Andrea Gallo at agallo@theadvocate.com, LSU Interim President Tom Galligan said Monday that the university has sent more than 60 files relating to a smaller number of sexual miscondu, Over objections from LSU's attorneys, former LSU student Samantha Brennan testified in court Monday that former star football player Derrius G, The parents of former LSU tennis star Jade Lewis said Sunday that they are dismayed by how LSU administrators have responded to reports that L, Last week started with Samantha Brennans image being published in newspapers across the country as she spoke out for the first time, saying L, Hundreds of LSU students marched through campus Friday afternoon, demanding that the university clean house and stop protecting students esp, Former LSU tennis player Jade Lewis is accusing LSU women's tennis coach Julia Sell of looking the other way while multiple people reported in, LSUs football faithful, suffering from an interminable season set to end this weekend, found a glimmer of solace in a road win against formid, LSU executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry has stepped down from LSU's presidential search committee amid allegations that he did n. A judge sentenced him to 18 months of prison and credited him for time served and suspended most of the remaining jail time. "A single instance of abuse or sexual violence is one too many.". Police documents refer to Bernhard as a "legal guardian" and "dad" to Davis, although there is no official documentation of adoption. (WAFB) - Former LSU wide receiver Drake Davis, who was kicked off the team and already charged with domestic abuse, was arrested early Sunday for allegedly grabbing and pushing a woman he was dating, according to officials. The Title IX report states that the woman met with Lewis and Keava Soil-Cormier, assistant director of recruiting operations, shortly after the 2016 incident. I am about taking care of the girls, Lewis said, while on a phone call with Finley and an Advocate reporter. When Davis was arrested in 2018 for allegedly assaulting another woman, Richardson said she went to another LSU boss, deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry, who she claims refused to hear the. We cannot tolerate any instances where someone might willfully turn a blind eye to credible allegations of this kind of violence and abuse. The newspaper reported that the two coaches and athletic trainer later told police that they weren't aware of Davis' conduct until a year later. When is too early to draft a starting pitcher? There was a problem saving your notification. There's no place in our society nor on this campus or on our football program for any behavior of this type. In March 2019, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Davis pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges: two counts of battery on a dating partner and one count of violation of a protective order. ", Kenny Jacoby, Nancy Armour and Jessica Luther, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The former player, Jade Lewis, 21, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, posted a statement on Twitter on Wednesday night in which she accused LSU women's tennis co-head coach Julia Sell of failing to report her allegations of being physically abused by Tigers wide receiver Drake Davis . Witnesses said they worried about losing their anonymity because of Bernhard's influence and facing consequence for reporting Davis' actions, which included seriously injuring Lewis. Fact. The abuse started in 2017, not too long after they started dating. Edwards made the remarks in response to a question about the USA TODAY investigation during his weekly COVID-19 press conference. The witness showed deputies video of the alleged . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Lewis reportedly told police and USA Today that Davis left her bruised or bleeding on at least six occasions during the year in which they dated. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur le lien Tableau de bord sur la vie prive prsent sur nos sites et dans nos applications. These were my teammates and closest friends at the time, and I needed their support. Les Miles is now the head coach at the University of Kansas, but it was elements from his LSU tenure that drew headlines this week. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Davis admitted to grabbing the victim by the arms and pushing her. PERSONALParents are Stephanie Davis and Lester Earl Born Dec. 14, 1996 Majoring in interdisciplinary studies Father, Lester, and uncle, Louis Earl, both played basketball at LSU. In March 2019, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Davis pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges: two counts of battery on a dating partner and one count of violation of a protective order. The report also cites three cases in which football players were found responsible for sexual assault and were allowed to stay on campus, receiving deferred suspensions, which amounts to probation. Davis then asks the woman if anything happened to her, and the woman shakes her head no. At least seven LSU officials had direct knowledge Davis was abusing his girlfriend, an LSU womens tennis player, USA TODAY found. In a video posted to Facebook, Stephanie says her son and girlfriend were horse-playing around.. Judge hears arguments, LSU tennis star's parents 'astonished' by inaction after reports of football player's abuse, Former student who accused Derrius Guice of misconduct to take on LSU in records lawsuit, 'We are here for you': Hundreds of LSU students protest in wake of sexual assault scandals, Former LSU tennis star says coach 'betrayed' her after reports of football player's abuse. The student told Title IX investigators that when she dated Davis in 2016, he pushed her and nearly hit her at JL's in Tigerland before a few teammates stopped him, according to the Title IX report that USA Today received. / The father said Mike Sell responded that the allegation "couldn't be possible, wouldn't be possible.". We have in the past and will continue to take appropriate action and comply with all reporting protocols. Galligan acknowledged the anger in an open letter to campus Thursday, saying he and executive vice president Stacy Haynie planned to meet with students and faculty leaders. Finley said that Scotts report did not lead to consequences for Sharon Lewis because LSUs HR department did not find it credible. "Notwithstanding what the police reports indicate these, may have said, I did not discourage Jade Lewis from reporting nor threaten retaliation against anyone. If that happened, we need to know about it.. Orgeron closed his statement by saying, "That is all I'm going to say at this time." Davis enrolled at Southern University in October 2019. The report details assault allegations made against former wide receiver Drake Davis by an LSU tennis player, including the allegation that the victim's tennis coach, Mike Sell, was informed that . You have permission to edit this article. Thats what Im calling upon LSU to do.. John Bel Edwards but declined the appointment for reasons not yet available. The Advocate has requested the records from LSU, but has not received them. When accusations are made, we have a legal and moral obligation to report every allegation to the university's Title IX office so due process can be implemented. Les Miles and LSU sexual harassment allegations: 5 things to know about settlement, lawsuit, Drake Davis avoids jail time again as judge terminates probation despite second abuse case, LSU Athletic Department official alleges retaliation after Les Miles complaints: report. The report details assault allegations made against former wide receiver Drake Davis by an LSU tennis player, including the allegation that the victim's tennis coach, Mike Sell, was informed that . In another statement, LSU interim president Tom Galligan wrote that the university "takes every report of sexual assault or violence seriously" and noted that the school investigates each and tries to support those affected. USA Today reported that it found no evidence that White, Mike Sell or Julia Sell informed anyone of Davis' alleged abuse, including the university's Title IX coordinator, which is required under federal law and LSU policy. A second teammate of Lewis also told USA TODAY on Thursday that she had multiple conversations with Sell about Davis abuse of Lewis before June 2018. / LSU indefinitely suspended him from the team, and a judge ordered him to have no contact with the woman. All rights reserved. In August of last year, Davis was arrested for allegedly beating his ex-girlfriend. SOPHOMORE SEASON (2017)Played in all 13 games and earned his first career start against Chattanooga Totaled three receptions for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the season Caught his first career touchdown of 36 yards against the Mocs Also finished with a pair of receptions for 98 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown, against Syracuse. She was scrutinized in a 2018 Title IX report regarding a students 2016 allegations about violence from Drake Davis that also included interviews with executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry, according to USA Today. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. He later apologized for the incident, the report stated. He admitted in court to punching the woman in the stomach and later pushing her onto a couch, which bruised and cut her leg. In a second incident in April 2018, Davis allegedly punched the victim in the left side of her stomach and fractured her rib. "There is sufficient evidence to prove that Respondent Sharon Lewis violated LSU's [Title IX policy prohibiting sexual misconduct] in that as a Responsible Person she failed to report a potential violation of LSU's Title IX and Sexual Misconduct Policy," reads the report from LSU's Title IX investigator Jeffrey Scott. Isabella Allen Davis admits to punching Lewis in court in March 2019. I have confidence today that the university is working to address our policies and processes when allegations arise.". In August, Parrish announced that he'd transferred to Memphis. "A single instance of abuse or sexual violence is one too many.". Arrest reports say a witness showed the deputy of a video of Davis, 22, and a woman arguing. USA Today reported that Lewis told a team athletic trainer, Donavon White, that Davis punched her in the stomach in May 2017 during an argument. A Title IX investigator's interview with then-LSU tennis player Jade Lewis, whose abuse by Drake Davis had been well-documented, was delayed because the scheduling of it, for a reason. All victims must be heard and supported, and we pledge to stand with them to help end all forms of sexual and domestic abuse.". Louisianas governor called on LSU to do a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation following a USA TODAY report that found systemic mishandling of sexual misconduct and dating violence complaints by the school. FRESHMAN SEASON (2016)Played in six games with no starts Caught one pass for 19 yards Reception came in home-opener against Jacksonville State Returned a kickoff for four yards against Jacksonville State Other action came against Missouri, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M and in the Citrus Bowl vs. Louisville. The former player, Jade Lewis, 21, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, posted a statement on Twitter on Wednesday night in which she accused LSU women's tennis co-head coach Julia Sell of failing to . "I was betrayed by Coach Sell, and I will not stand by and allow her to deny knowledge of what I went through, when in reality she knew the full truth and simply chose to stand by. Hollywood writers to go on strike for first time in over 15 years, slamming 'gig economy', Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "The statement is a blatant lie. At least seven LSU officials had direct knowledge Davis was abusing his girlfriend, an LSU women's tennis player, USA TODAY found. Lewis reportedly told police and USA Today that Davis left her bruised or bleeding on at least six occasions during the year in which they dated. / Once entering the victim's room he strangled her, punched her in the stomach, and grabbed her ear which caused her earring to be pulled from her ear; bleeding from the ear ensued." 0. ", Davis was charged with second-degree battery in August 2018, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. ", "We are unwavering in our commitment to respond promptly to any reports of misconduct, to investigate these reports in a manner that is fair and equitable, to support victims of sexual assault, and to protect the privacy of our students according to the law," LSU told USA Today in a statement. Former LSU tennis player Jade Lewis refuted a statement made by co-head tennis coach Julia Sell regarding the coach's response to dating violence committed by Tigers football player Drake Davis. Parris was accused of raping a woman outside a bar earlier this year and was suspended indefinitely by LSU. Galligan said LSU has hired independent law firm Husch Blackwell to review the university's Title IX policies and procedures. "First, I want to say that we need to support and protect victims of violence and sexual abuse of any kind," Orgeron said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Following Sundays arrest, Davis mother, Stephanie, took to social media to proclaim her sons innocence. The Davis case so far has largely focused on allegations that he physically assaulted former LSU tennis player Jade Lewis between 2017 and 2018; he later pleaded guilty to battery and violating a protective order in her case. ", After that, we knew (our daughter) would be beaten up, and we knew LSU would cover it up. Reading from a prepared statement at the beginning of his weekly news conference on Monday afternoon, Orgeron said that he wanted to address the USA Today article. Orgeron was later promoted to full-time head coach, and he led the team to a national championship last season. Federal law and LSUs own policies require campus officials to report allegations of sexual violence to the schools Title IX office to conduct an initial investigation. Guice was released by the Washington Football Team on Aug. 7 after he was arrested on three separate domestic violence charges in Virginia. Orgeron closed his statement by saying, "That is all I'm going to say at this time." On July 28 at around 3:33 a.m., a deputy with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office responded to a call about a domestic disturbance. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. LSU indefinitely suspended him from the team, and a judge ordered him to have no contact with the woman. DRAKE DAVISS CAREER HIGHSPoints scored: 6, Two times (Last: Syracuse, Sep 23, 2017; First: Chattanooga, Sep 9, 2017)Touchdowns: 1, Two times (Last: Syracuse, Sep 23, 2017; First: Chattanooga, Sep 9, 2017)Receptions: 2 vs. Syracuse, Sep 23, 2017Receiving yards: 98 vs. Syracuse, Sep 23, 2017 (2 receptions)Receiving TDs: 1, Two times (Last: Syracuse, Sep 23, 2017; First: Chattanooga, Sep 9, 2017)Long reception: 87 vs. Syracuse, Sep 23, 2017, DRAKE DAVISS CAREER KICK RETURN HIGHSKick returns: 1 vs. Jacksonville St., Sep 10, 2016Kick return yards: 4 vs. Jacksonville St., Sep 10, 2016Long kick return: 4 vs. Jacksonville St., Sep 10, 2017, LSU Athletics, Louisiana State University, 2023. Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. According to WBRZ, Davis was arrested at about 3:30 a.m. after a witness claimed an argument between Davis and his girlfriend turned physical. USA Today reports that at least nine football players, including Guice and Davis, have been reported to police for sexual misconduct and dating violence since Ed Orgeron was promoted to interim head coach in 2016. Another woman alleges LSU inaction after she disclosed Drake Davis abuse: report. The leaders of more than a dozen student groups have called for the resignation of anyone who has mishandled Title IX complaints, and there is a campus protest scheduled for Friday afternoon. If you have atipor sensitive information you want to share, reach out to USA TODAYSportsatSportsTip@usatoday.com. But what that article can do is excite you and make sure you do the investigation. In 2018, Davis was arrested on second-degree battery charges and was indefinitely suspended by the team. NCAA's international athletes still facing NIL challenges, The sorcery and science behind Virginia's swimming dynasty, Report: LSU ignored sexual assault complaints, Author of seven books on college football. The woman told the deputy that Davis found out she was speaking with another man, and the altercation turned physical, according to the report. Including Guice, at least nine football players have been reported to police for sexual misconduct and dating violence since coach Ed Orgeron took over the team four years ago, records show. We are also consulting with the Baton Rouge Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR) Center as we work to do better in the future.. USA TODAY also found three cases in which, rather than expelling or suspending male students found responsible for sexual assault, LSU allowed them to stay on campus. Lewis shared a statement Thursday on Twitter saying Sell had knowledge of the allegations levied by her players: "I was betrayed by Coach Sell, and I will not stand by and allow her to deny knowledge of what I went through, when in reality she knew the full truth and simply chose to stand by," Lewis wrote. Sarah Phipps-USA TODAY Sports. A USA Today report on Monday alleges that several LSU officials had knowledge of sexual assault allegations made against former running back Derrius Guice and other former football players, and either ignored those complaints or denied the victims' requests for protection. The latest employee to face heat is Sharon Lewis, an associate athletic director for football recruiting and alumni relations. The group has said it has offered its help to LSU before, only to be ignored. "Putting an end to sexual assault is an institutional priority, and we are constantly working to achieve that goal.". Maria Finley, the Baton Rouge attorney who represented Sharon Lewis in the 2018 Title IX case and who continues to represent her now, disputed the description of the 2016 meeting between Lewis and the student. He admitted in court to punching the woman in the stomach and later pushing her onto a couch, which bruised and cut her leg. The newspaper reported that at least seven LSU officials "had direct knowledge" that Davis was physically abusing his girlfriend but "sat on the information for months, while Davis continued to assault and strangle her.". Police arrested Davis in August 2018 on felony charges of second-degree battery against a former girlfriend. There needs to be a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation so that we can really know who knew what, when did they know it, was it credible and what did they do about it, Edwards said. Galligan also urged any victims of abuse who either didn't report it or did and believe the complaints weren't handled correctly to contact the university's Title IX office. Interim LSU president Thomas Galligan announced Monday that the school has hired law firm Husch Blackwell to do an independent, comprehensive review of our Title IX policies and procedures. The review is to focus on the entirety of the Title IX process, from the time allegations are reported to when they are investigated and adjudicated, according to LSU spokesman Jim Sabourin. USA TODAY reported that at least seven LSU officials had direct knowledge that former wide receiver Drake Davis was physically abusing his girlfriend a LSU women's tennis player . USA Today reported that Lewis told a team athletic trainer, Donavon White, that Davis punched her in the stomach in May 2017 during an argument. ", They made their decision," the father said. I have in the past and will continue to take appropriate action and comply with reporting protocols. A former LSU women's tennis player says her former coach lied about her knowledge of a Tigers football player physically abusing her between May 2017 and August 2018 and accused the coach of "betraying" her during an investigation. receiver Drake Davis. "The LSU Women's Tennis coach, Julia Sell, released a statement claiming she had no knowledge of the allegations made by my teammate and I," Lewis wrote. Four members of the LSU Tennis Team separately made Coach Sell aware of these events between May 2017 and August 2018. The judge placed Davis on two years' probation and ordered him to undergo mandatory counseling. In the second call, according to USA Today, Lewis' father said he specifically told Mike Sell that Davis had punched her. You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. Finley said Lewis reached out to the student in 2016 after hearing that the student threw a drink onto Davis while they were in Tigerland. Two years later, the woman filed a complaint with the LSU Title IX office and investigators probed how Sharon Lewis had handled the 2016 incident. Lastly, I would like to add that during the criminal case regarding the allegations I made, Coach Sell instructed the tennis team to stay away from me. All victims must be heard and supported, and we pledge to stand with them to help end all forms of sexual and domestic abuse.". Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. He enrolled at Southern that October. The men, non-athletes, received "deferred suspensions," a probationary period during which they must stay out of trouble. When accusations are made, we have a legal and moral obligation to report every allegation to the university's Title IX office so due process can be implemented. ", Julia Sell posted a statement Wednesday to say she and her husband"would never dismiss or doubt any such allegations.". She said she called Segar back and never heard back again. The victim provided pictures of bruising around her neck from the strangulation, according to police. 19 receiver nationally and the No. But those officials sat on the information for months. Want to share an anonymous news tip? In a second incident in April 2018, Davis allegedly punched the victim in the left side of her stomach and fractured her rib. Advocate file photo -- LSU's Tiger Stadium. Will there ever be another 100-point scorer in college hockey? Though LSU Police records show that multiple people in the athletic department knew that Davis had been violent toward his girlfriend as early as April 2018, Davis was not arrested until. These were my teammates and closest friends at the time, and I needed their support. As details of the sexual misconduct within LSU continue to come to light, my hope is that LSU Athletics changes course and decides to be transparent and remorseful rather than continuing to create cover-ups and false narratives.". In the third undated incident, according to the report, "Davis was upset with the victim for waving at a friend. LSU officials investigated in 2018 whether employees of the Athletic Department had properly handled a student's earlier complaint that a football player had physically abused her, and the investigation found serious failures to report, according to a new report from USA Today.
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