MASON, Mich. — An Ingham County judge dismissed a lawsuit brought against former Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker by the woman the school said he sexually harassed.
The lawsuit, which centered around text messages between Brenda Tracy and her friend Ahlan Alvarado that were released by Tucker and his attorneys last year, had been filed on behalf of Tracy’s nonprofit and an LLC in her name. Alvarado, who has since died, was Tracy’s friend of two decades and also worked as her booking assistant for her nonprofit, Set The Expectation.
MSU fired Tucker for cause last year after Tracy reported that he’d sexually harassed her and the university investigated. Tucker’s attorneys have said the messages show Tracy had a personal, consensual relationship with Tucker.
During a hearing on Thursday morning, Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Wanda Stokes dismissed six of the seven counts in the lawsuit because attorneys for Tracy’s nonprofit had not met legal standards for the lawsuit to proceed to discovery. She ruled the remaining count was moot because a protective order previously agreed upon between the parties will remain in place.
MSU football coach Mel Tucker pictured Tuesday, March 14, 2023, during the first day of spring practice at the indoor football facilty in East Lansing.
The protective order bars the release of specific information related to sexual assault, harassment or gender discrimination victims.
The dismissal with prejudice means attorneys for Tracy’s nonprofit can’t refile the lawsuit.
Eric Delaporte, an attorney for Tracy’s nonprofit, said he plans to appeal Stokes’ ruling. He also said he will look into remedies for what he said were lies Tucker’s attorneys made in court and in filings. He said Tucker and his attorneys ruined the nonprofit’s name when they released some texts previously.
Tracy, a…
Source link : https://www.yahoo.com/news/ex-michigan-state-coach-mel-171817922.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-05-16 17:18:17
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