One year ago, Michigan State University fired head football coach Mel Tucker amid allegations that he sexually harassed a rape survivor he had hired to teach his players about sexual assault prevention. On Friday, that woman filed a lawsuit against him for defamation.
Brenda Tracy, whose gut-wrenching story of being gang-raped by college football players in 1998 catapulted her to an activism career and national fame, alleges in a 30-page lawsuit that Tucker permanently tarnished her good name and reputation by claiming they developed a mutual romance.
Her lawsuit, filed in Ingham County Circuit Court in Michigan, seeks a jury trial and unspecified damages. No dollar amount was given.
Tucker and his attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Karen Truszkowski, Tracy’s attorney, said in a statement: “The lawsuit speaks for itself.” She and Tracy declined to comment further.
Tracy says in the lawsuit that she lost future earnings and suffered psychologically and emotionally because of Tucker’s false statements, including his claims that she made up the allegations in a plot to extort him and the school for money. Among other counts, the lawsuit accuses him of breach of contract, stealing her business records and fraudulently accessing her email and personal accounts.