Northwestern University hazing lawsuits overview:
- Who: Three more former Northwestern University football players have filed lawsuits against the school.
- Why: The former players argue Northwestern failed to protect them from hazing they say they endured during their time playing for the university football team.
- Where: The Northwestern lawsuits were filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Northwestern University has been hit with three additional lawsuits brought by former football players claiming they were subjected to hazing while playing on the university team.
The hazing lawsuits join 22 complaints already filed against Northwestern in the wake of an internal investigation into the alleged hazing going public, reports Law360.
The plaintiffs — two anonymous players and former linebacker Nathan Fox — claim Northwestern failed to protect them from harassment they claim to have endured during their time on the university’s football team.
Fox and the anonymous plaintiffs argue the school “knew or should have known” that hazing and sexual abuse have been a “longstanding problem” within both college campuses and collegiate athletic programs.
“At all times relevant to this complaint, Northwestern University knew of the dangers of hazing events within college campuses and collegiate athletic programs,” one of the Northwestern lawsuits says.
Northwestern fired head football coach following reports of hazing
The hazing lawsuits — which are likely to join an already-consolidated litigation being held over the hazing — came in the wake of an internal investigation which allegedly uncovered evidence of hazing on Northwestern’s football team, reports Law360.
The results of the investigation — which was reportedly conducted after the university received an anonymous tip — led the school to immediately suspend its then-head football coach Patrick Fitzgerald, who was ultimately fired several days later.
Fox and the anonymous plaintiffs claim Northwestern is guilty of intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, among other things. Fox additionally brings claims against the university under the Gender Violence Act.
Fitzgerald filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Northwestern and its president Michael Schill last year over his firing. The former coach is seeking at least $130 million in damages.
What do you think of the claims made in the Northwestern lawsuits? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Steven Levin, Margaret Battersby Black and Marla Fontana of Levin & Perconti.
The Northwestern University hazing lawsuits are Fox v. Northwestern University, et al., Case No. 2024-L-005063, John Doe 10 v. Northwestern University, et al., Case No. 2024-L-004970 and John Doe 22 v. Northwestern University, et al., Case No. 2024-L-005019, all in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
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