LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Michigan State University has filed a motion to dismiss sexual assault advocate Brenda Tracy’s lawsuit against its trustees.
Brenda Tracy was brought to MSU’s campus by then-head football coach, Mel Tucker, as a consultant to educate his team about sexual misconduct.
Brenda Tracy says she can’t encourage survivors to report
In 2022, Tracy claimed Tucker sexually harassed her, and in June, Tracy filed a federal lawsuit against the MSU Board of Trustees, one that includes claims of breaches of information, misconduct and interference with contract.
Now, the university officially filed a motion to dismiss that lawsuit.
In the 33-page document, the university accuses Tracy is seeking to transform Mel Tucker’s firing into her own, “multi-million-dollar windfall.” MSU lawyers say Tracy failed to state a bunch of claims in her initial filing, including due process, breach of contract, interference with a contract, or gross negligence.
They also say the trustees are immune from her claims at the state and federal levels.
6News has reached out to MSU, and in a statement from a spokesperson:
“The University did what it was lawfully permitted to do when it fired Tucker for engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior with Tracy.”
Tucker was fired from the university in 2023 after a sexual harassment complaint Tracy made against him in 2022 went public. Tucker has denied Tracy’s claims.
6 News has also reached out to Brenda Tracy’s lawyer, but we have yet to hear back from her.
Copies of related court documents can be found below.
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