In case you were wondering, the Baylor sexual assault scandal will not be going away any time soon.
The latest suit filed includes explosive allegations that expand the scope (and horror) of the assaults. It also gives the NCAA an open invitation to begin their own investigation under the guise of the school supplying “extra benefits” to prospective student-athletes.
The Dallas Morning News provides a copy of the suit in their story. A Baylor grad has accused two players of a rape that occurred in 2013. The suit also claims that between 2011 and 2014, 31 Baylor football players committed at least 52 acts of rape, including five gang rapes.
This suit alleges Title IX violations and negligence on the part of the University.
The details of the assault of “Elizabeth Doe” contained in the lawsuit strike at the heart of the case against not just a former coach and his football program, but the University community as a whole. The woman reported being raped by then-Baylor football players Tre’Von Armstead and Shamycheal Chatman in April of 2013. The two players were previously named as suspects in a sexual assault police report related to that date but were not charged.
The suit also alleges that one her attackers, (Chatman) was accused of rape before this incident. That case involved a student trainer who reported that Chatman raped her at his off-campus apartment. The suit alleges that the university moved the trainer to a female sports team and agreed to pay for her education in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement.
As for the Elizabeth Doe case, according to the lawsuit, Baylor did not investigate as — required by Title IX — for more than two years.
It is this case that clearly reveals possible NCAA problems. The victim was a member of the “Baylor Bruins,” a group of young women who act as hostesses to recruits when they visit the campus. The lawsuit alleges there was a culture of “Show ‘Em A Good Time,” and “use sex to sell recruits.” The suit also states that it included escorting underage recruits to bars and strip clubs as well as arranging for women to have sex with prospective players.
The plaintiff had been a member of the “Bruins” since 2012. She says that in April of 2013 she was taken home from a party by Chatman and Armstead after becoming intoxicated. The suit also states that the party was at the apartment of former Baylor player Shawn Oakman, who is facing sexual assault charges of his own from an unrelated case.
She then further alleges that her roomate’s boyfriend came to the apartment, confronted the players and called 911. Before the police arrived other Bruin members showed up and tried to get the plaintiff to make up a cover story of having consensual sex with one man. A Title IX investigation revealed that Chatman has asked the other young women to come to the apartment.
The “Baylor Bruins” were disbanded last year, replaced by a co-ed organization who offer campus tours to all visitors, not just student-athletes, under the guidance of the undergraduate admissions department. Members of the Bruins from this time have vehemently denied all allegations.
This suit brings the number to five that are currently working their way through the legal system. Baylor has settled with several others, and the newest allegations put even more pressure on the school to either come clean or pay a lot more money to hope this all goes away.
Or maybe, just maybe, someone like Jasmin Hernandez will see her federal suit all the way through.
That is what keeps Baylor officials up into the middle of the night.
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