Ex-Duke lacrosse coach settles lawsuit

Raleigh News and Observer ^ | March 31, 2010 | Anne Blythe

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Published Wed, Mar 31, 2010 05:51 PM Modified Wed, Mar 31, 2010 05:56 PM Ex-Duke lacrosse coach settles lawsuit

DURHAM Duke University and Mike Pressler, the man at the helm of the lacrosse program when a stripper brought false rape accusations against three team members, have settled a lawsuit filed by the former coach.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

"Coach Michael Pressler is an excellent coach," Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said in a prepared statement. " He did a great job building the Duke men's lacrosse program, while maintaining a 100 percent graduation rate in his sixteen years. Duke University regrets any adverse consequences that the Newsday or AP article had on Coach Pressler or his family. Duke wishes nothing but the best for Coach Pressler in his future endeavors, especially at Bryant University and as he leads Team USA in the World Lacrosse Championships."

Pressler , who built a national powerhouse lacrosse team during his 16 years at Duke, was forced out in April 2006 shortly after an escort service dancer accused players of gang-raping her - allegations that turned out to be phony/

In 2007, Pressler and Duke reached a confidential settlement.

Lawyers for Pressler argued in a 2008 Superior Court hearing that language from the settlement agreement showed the former Duke employee was no longer bound by policies of previous contracts with the university.

Pressler has alleged that John Burness, Duke's former senior vice president of public affairs and government relations, made slanderous, libelous and defamatory remarks about him to the news media after the settlement was reached.

Burness retired in June 2008 after 30 years on the job.

Initially, Pressler argued that Duke had reneged on its settlement agreement, which had a clause prohibiting disparaging remarks.

But in a legal maneuver designed to sidestep arbitration, Pressler dropped that claim and slimmed down his complaint to focus on Burness' comments.

In the suit, Pressler complains about an April 9, 2007, article in the New York newspaper Newsday quoting Burness as saying the difference between Pressler and current lacrosse coach John Danowski was "night and day."

In that article, the suit contends, Burness described Danowski as a "mensch," a Yiddish word for a person of great integrity and honor that Pressler 's lawyers defined in their brief.

The second comment that Pressler complained about came in June, when The Associated Press quoted Burness as saying, "It was essential for the team to have a change of leadership in order to move forward."

Since losing his Duke job, Pressler has written and promoted a book about the lacrosse case. He now coaches at Bryant University in Rhode Island.

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This just in.

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ping

[clintonh8r]

I hope he took those arrogant bastards for a bundle. A big bundle.

[ConservativeMind]

Isn’t this very paper the one that led the besmirchment?

[MinuteGal]

SCHADENFREUDE ! ! ! ! !

Leni

[abb]

Isn’t this very paper the one that led the besmirchment?

Yes. They were largely responsible for ginning up the mob that tried to frame the three lacrosse players.

[The G Man]

Usually I’m not a big fan of runaway jury verdicts ... but I’ll make an exception in this case.

[Jrabbit]

Thanks for the ping! Good for the coach!! I hope he got a bundle!

[mortal19440]

What ever happened to the 88 asshat Profs that signed the gang letter?

[pnh102]

One of the few times "justice" is actually served and the good guys win.

I feel bad though for all the poorer innocent people the DA in this case screwed over.

[abb]

And one other point. The headline is backwards. Pressler didn’t settle, Duke did.

[abb]

What ever happened to the 88 asshat Profs that signed the gang letter?

Almost all, if not all are still there.

[Fido969]

What do the lefties care? It’s not their money.

[jiggyboy]

As is usual for leftists, the incident has been completely ignored and at least a half dozen have been promoted within Duke or have gotten higher-paying jobs at name-brand leftist hives of higher education.

[Mark17]

Duke University regrets any adverse consequences that the Newsday or AP article had on Coach Pressler or his family.

I don't believe that for a second. They regret adverse consequences that it has on them, not coach Pressler.

[jnsun]

I don't believe that for a second. They regret adverse consequences that it has on them, not coach Pressler.

Perfect!

[truthguy]

7 Comments:

1. I hope he took them to the cleaners!
2. The president of Duke University, Richard Brodhead is the ulitmate coward. He knew these guys wre innocent and yet he refused to back them. I cannot express my disgust at the POS. If I met him in person, it would take all the willpower I have not to spit in his face. He's a disgrace and it's a disgrace to all the powers at Duke that he's still there. Shame on you Duke U.
3. Gang of 88. Well they are beyond shame. They are scum of the earth.
4. NY Times- Scum of the Earth for your reporting in the early days. All you needed to do it read the police report and you could tell it's a sham.
5. Nancy Grace- Well what can you say about this poor excuse of a human being. She got on TV night after night essentially saying these guys were guilty. She should know better as an attorney. When the North Carolina DA finally got on TV and said the guys were innocent and that the charges were dropped, she didn't have the guts ot go on TV that night. She was conveniently absent. She to my knowledge never apologized. Maybe she did later but I didn't hear it. What a joke this woman is. I only watched her for this case and that was enough.
6. Whole MSM- Pathetic as usual. They all got it wrong from the get go. But I wouldn't expect anything different from them.
7. Mike Nifong- Well what can you say that hasn't been said.

[Carley]

The lying 88 are most likely now working in the maoist administration.

[SunkenCiv]

Duke University and Mike Pressler, the man at the helm of the lacrosse program when a stripper brought false rape accusations against three team members, have settled a lawsuit filed by the former coach... "Coach Michael Pressler is an excellent coach," Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, said in a prepared statement. " He did a great job building the Duke men's lacrosse program, while maintaining a 100 percent graduation rate in his sixteen years. Duke University regrets any adverse consequences that the Newsday or AP article had on Coach Pressler or his family. Duke wishes nothing but the best for Coach Pressler in his future endeavors, especially at Bryant University and as he leads Team USA in the World Lacrosse Championships."

Each and every one of the tenured staff who signed that libel of him and his students should have been hauled before the review board, had their tenure revoked, and then been fired. And I only say that because I'm in a good mood.

[Hawthorn]

>> The president of Duke University, Richard Brodhead is the ulitmate coward. <<

Absolutely, and let's not forget that Brodhead was involved in a similar case at Yale, where he helped drag an innocent man's reputation thru the mud. See:

http://article.nationalreview.com/281872/forget-the-facts/michael-rubin