Amherst complaint

32 Pages·2015·0.19 MB·English

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UNITED STATESDISTRICTCOURT FORTHE
DISTRICTOFMASSACHUSETTS
JOHNDOE,
Plaintiff,
v.
CIVILACTION
AMHERSTCOLLEGE,CAROLYN MARTIN, No.
JAMESLARIMORE,TORIN MOORE,
SUSAN MITTONSHANNONand
LAURIE FRANKL,
Defendants.
COMPLAINT ANDJURYDEMAND
INTRODUCTION
1. This lawsuitarises outofamiscarriage ofjustice:theexpulsionoftheplaintiff
fromAmherstCollege("Amherst"or"theCollege")inDecember2013. Theplaintiffisafirst
generationAsian-American,admittedtoAmherstinrelianceonsubstantialfinancialaid. Inthe
Fallofhis senior year,hewasaccusedofhavingcommittedrapewhen,as asophomore,hehad
engagedinconsensualsex withafemalestudent whonowclaimedtohavewithdrawnher
consentduringthecourseofthesexualconduct. Thedisciplinaryactionwasundertakenduring
aperiodofrelentlessand well-publicizedaccusationsagainstAmherstfor failingtoprotect
femalestudents fromsexualassault,andwhiletheCollegewasunderintensepressureto
demonstratethatitwas nowwillingandcapableofprosecutingsexualassailants.
2. Inthejustsix weeks fromthedatethecomplaintwas filedagainsthim,the
plaintifffoundhimselfheld guiltyofassault,expelledfromtheCollege,ejectedfromthecampus
andbranded asex offender,withhis entirefutureinruins. Theactionstakenbythedefendants
resultedfromadeeplyflawedinvestigatoryanddisciplinaryprocess duringwhichtheplaintiff
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wasdeniedthe mostrudimentaryelementsoffairnesspromisedtohimbyAmherstinits Student
Handbook.
3. Worse,afterthedisciplinaryprocesshadrunitsshortcourse,theplaintiff
discovered,andsubmittedtotheCollege,irrefutabledocumentaryevidence—textmessages
previouslyconcealedbythecomplainant—which disclosedthattheverynightthesexual
encounteroccurred,thecomplainanthad admittedthatnotonlyhadsheconsentedtothesex,but
thatshewasitsmovingforce. Nevertheless,Amhersthas refusedtotakeanyactiontocorrector
remediatethewrongcommittedagainstplaintiff. Bythisaction,theplaintiffseekstorightthese
grievous wrongs,completehis education,salvage his reputationandrestorehisemotionaland
psychologicalwell-being.
JURISDICTIONANDVENUE
4. This actionarises outoftheCollege'sbreachofits contractual andother
obligations totheplaintiff,aswellasits violations ofTitleIXoftheEducationAmendmentsof
1972(20U.S.C.§1681)and42U.S.C.§1981.
5. Theplaintiffis aresidentofNewYork,andthedefendants areresidentsof
Massachusetts. Theamountincontroversyis over$75,000.
6. This Courthas jurisdictionpursuantto28U.S.C.§§1331and1332.
7. Venueisproperunder28 U.S.C.§1391(b).
PARTIES
8. Theplaintiff,identifiedhereasJohn Doe(“plaintiff”or“JohnDoe”),residesin
NewYorkandwas formerlyafull-timestudentat AmherstCollege.1 JohnDoeis thesonof
Asian-Americanimmigrants. HewasimproperlyexpelledinDecemberof 2013,whileinhis
senior year attheCollege. TheplaintiffmatriculatedatAmherstinthefallof2010after
1Theplaintiffhasfiledseparatelyamotiontoproceedunderapseudonym.
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graduatingfromaprivatehighschoolinNewYorkwhichheattendedwithasubstantial
scholarship. Hereceived numerous awardsinacademics andathleticsinhighschool,includinga
NationalMerit Letterof Commendation,andhealsoreceived awardsduringhistimeatAmherst.
9. ThedefendantAmherstCollege("Amherst"or"theCollege")isafederally-
funded,privateliberalartscollegelocatedinAmherst,Massachusetts,withapproximately1,800
enrolledundergraduates.
10. ThedefendantCarolyn"Biddy" MartinhasbeenthePresidentoftheCollege
sinceJune2011.
11. ThedefendantJames Larimorewas,atthetimeoftheevents atissue,theDeanof
StudentsatAmherstCollege,andhepresided aschairatthedisciplinaryhearingrelatingtothe
plaintiff.
12. ThedefendantTorin Moorewas,atthetimeoftheeventsatissue,AssistantDean
ofStudentsandtheDirectorofResidential Lifeat AmherstCollege. Mr.Mooreservedas
plaintiff'sfacultyadviser duringhisdisciplinaryhearing.
13. ThedefendantSusan MittonShannonwas, atthetimeoftheeventsatissue,the
Interim DeanofStudent ConductandtheDeputyTitleIXCoordinatoratAmherstCollege.
14. Thedefendant LaurieFranklwas,atthetimeoftheeventsatissue,theTitleIX
coordinatoratAmherstCollege.
FACTS
TheClimateatAmherstCollegeforSexualMisconductDiscipline
15. This casearoseatthe climax ofaperiodofunprecedented andintensepressure
uponAmherstCollegeto takeactionandproduceresults concerningsexualassaultsbymale
students againstfemalestudentsoncampus. Amhersthadbeenaccusedof mistreatingsexual
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assaultvictims,notprotectingstudents,anddoingnothingtoidentifyandpunishperpetratorsof
sexualmisconductonitscampus. Atallmaterialtimes,thenatureoftheclimatewassuchthat
Amherstofficialswould haveknown,and feared, thatanydecisionnottoexpelJohnDoe,orany
decisiontoreopentheproceedingsagainsthim,onanyground,wouldbemetwithwidespread
andfuriousprotest.
16. OnApril2,2011theOfficeofCivilRightsoftheU.S.DepartmentofEducation
("DOE")issueda"guidanceletter"tocolleges anduniversities intheUnitedStates,knownasthe
"DearColleague" letter. Theletteradvised recipientsthatsexualviolenceconstitutedsexual
harassmentwithinthemeaningofTitle IXoftheEducationAmendments of1972,20U.S.C.
§1681et.seq.anditsregulations,directedschools to"takeimmediateactiontoeliminatethe
harassment,preventitsrecurrence,andaddressitseffects,"andlistedspecificdisciplinary
procedures saidtoberequiredbyTitleIX.
17. Inthewakeofthe"DearColleague" letter,theDOEcommencednumerous
investigations againstcollegesanduniversities,withtheunderlyingthreatthatallfederalfunding
couldbewithdrawn. Inaddition,atAmherst,studentsprotestedagainsttheCollege'sfailure
adequatelyrespondtocomplaints ofsexualmisconduct. A"TitleIXcommittee"was assignedto
recommendsubstantialchangesinits disciplinaryproceduresinsexualmisconductcases,and
thesechanges wereadoptedand madeeffectivein September2012.
18. OnOctober17,2012,AngieEpifano,aformermemberoftheCollege's classof
2014,wrotean essaythatwas publishedin TheAmherstStudent thatreferencedherown
experiencewithrapeon campusandwas primarilyfocusedontheCollege'sresponse. Ms.
Epifano'sessaywashighlydetailed andcriticalofhowtheCollegehadrespondedtohersevere
emotionaldistressfollowingasexualassaultoncampus. Shecomplained ofhow"rapistsare
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givenlesspunishmentthanstudentscaughtstealing," andthatshehadbeendiscouraged from
prosecutingthemanwhoassaultedherbecauseitwouldbedifficult “toproveheraped you."
Thestudentnewspaperwebsitecrashedasaresult oftheoverwhelmingresponsetoMs.
Epifano'sarticle.
19. Theverynextday,defendantPresidentMartinissuedastatement,statingthat
"[c]learly,theadministration'sresponsestoreportshaveleftsurvivors feelingthattheywere
badlyserved. Thatmustchange,andchangeimmediately." Sheannouncedthatshewas
investigatingthehandlingoftheEpifanoincidentandthat"[t]herewillbeconsequences forany
problemsweidentify,eitherwithprocedures orpersonnel." Bythenextday, theschool'ssexual
assaultcounselor,whohadbeen criticizedbyMs.Epifano,hadresigned.
20. Ms.Epifano’sessaysparked afirestormofmediacoverage,bothlocaland
national. TheNewYorkTimes publishedastorydiscussingtheon-campus responseto Ms.
Epifano'sessayonOctober26,2012. TheHuffingtonPost alsopublishedaseriesofarticlesthat
fall,largelycriticaloftheCollege's handlingofsexualmisconductoncampus. Numerousmedia
outletspickedupon and coveredthecontroversy,includingTheBostonGlobe,USAToday,
BloombergandNPRradio.
21. FollowingthepublicationofMs.Epifano's essay,therewerefurtheron-campus
demonstrationsandmeetingsinwhichstudentactivists calledfortheCollegetotakeaction
againstandtopunishperpetratorsofsexualassaultagainstwomen. Theincreased media and
campus-wideattentionledtoafloodofstatements bypresentand formerstudentsthattheir
complaints ofsexualabusehadnotbeentakenseriously,new complaintsat Amherstand
elsewhere,and multipleinvestigations nationwidebytheDepartmentofEducation.
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22. OnOctober31,2012,theCollegeformedaSpecialOversightCommitteeon
SexualMisconducttoreviewtheCollege's atmosphere,sexualeducational programs,and
policiesrelatingtosexualmisconduct. TheCommitteewas comprisedoffivemembers of
faculty/staff,twotrustees andtwostudents,includingLR,asexualassaultvictimsadvocateand
laterawitnessagainstJohnDoe.
23. OnNovember2,theCollegecancelled allclasses andofficesfora"dayof
dialogueandreflection" toconsidertheissuesraisedbyMs.Epifano.
24. InJanuary2013,theCommitteepublisheditsreport,recommendingthat Amherst
focus on"empoweringvictims." Daysbeforethereportwas released,defendantPresident
MartinflewtoAlabamatomeetwithEpifanotoadviseherofitscontents.
25. AftertheCommitteeissuedits report,theCollegeconductedasecondoverhaulof
itsStudentHandbook,addingtwonewappendices whichsetoutspecific, additionalprocedures
toaddress allegationsandinvestigationsregardingsexualharassmentand sexualmisconduct.
Thesepoliciesandprocedureswentintoeffectin May2013. TheCollegeSexualMisconduct
Policy(Appendix B totheStudentHandbook,hereinafter“SexualMisconductPolicy”orPolicy)
andtheProceduresforAddressingSexualMisconductComplaintsUndertheStudentConduct
Process(Appendix C totheStudentHandbook, hereinafter “SexualMisconductProcedure”or
Procedure), whichwereineffectatalltimes materialtothiscasearefound inExhibit1.
26. OnNovember14,2013, Ms.Epifano andanotherAmherststudentfiledTitleIX
complaints againstAmherstwiththeU.S.DepartmentofEducation. Theycoordinatedtheir
filings withsix femalestudentsatVanderbiltUniversitywho filedsimilar TitleIXcomplaints
againstthatinstitution,allas partofanationwidecampaigntobringattentiontothisissue.
Thesecomplaints caused anotherroundofnationalmediacoverage.
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SandraJones's Complaint
27. TheproceedingagainstJohnDoebeganon October28,2013,justpriortothe
filingof Ms.Epifano’sTitleIX complaintagainstAmherst,withacomplaintwhichchargeda
sexualoffensewhich allegedlyoccurredalmosttwo years earlier. Ontheeveningof February4-
5,2012,asasophomore, JohnDoehadasexualencounterwithafemaleclassmate, Sandra
Jones,2 afterhehadbeen drinkingtothepointofincapacitation. ThewomanJohnDoehadbeen
dating,EK,wasawayfortheweekend,andherroommate, SandraJones,led(andvirtually
carried)theplaintiffbacktotheirroomlatethatevening. Sheperformedoralsex onthe
plaintiff.
28. SandraJonestooknoactionforone yearandninemonths aftertheevent. Then
onOctober28,2013,she filedacomplaintwiththeCollege allegingshehadbeenrapedbythe
plaintiff. SandraJonesfiledhercomplaintattheurgingof LR, aleadingon-campusvictim's
advocateand memberoftheCollege's SpecialOversightCommitteeonSexualMisconduct. LR
offeredtotestifythatJohnDoehadadmittedtoherthathehadsexuallyassaultedSandraJones
(astatementthatwouldlaterbefoundtolackcredibilitybytheCollegeinvestigator),andshe
advisedSandraJones thatJonescould,therefore, winatadisciplinaryhearing. Oninformation
andbelief,itwas LRwhophysicallyfiled Sandra Jones's complaintformwiththeCollege.
SandraJones'scomplaint was thefirsttobeinvestigated andheardundertheCollege'snew
procedures.
29. OnNovember1,2013,defendant MittonShannon,DeputyTitleIXCoordinator,
notifiedJohnDoethathewas thesubjectof acomplaint. Thecasewasputonafasttrack.
MittonShannoninformedhimthathehadlessthanaweektoprovidearesponseandtofindan
2SandraJonesisapseudonymbeingusedtoprotectthisstudent'sprivacy. Exceptwherethestudenthaschosento
revealhis/heridentityinthepress,thiscomplaintwillidentifyotherstudentsthroughuseofinitials,inorderto
protecttheirprivacy.
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advisor,who,underCollegewrittenpolicy,could only"guide"and"accompany"thestudent,but
couldnot"advocate." Defendant MittonShannon informedDoethathewas notpermittedto
havelegalcounselasan advisor. SheinformedDoethattheplanwastoholdthehearingbefore
theThanksgivingbreak. Inthisand furthermeetings,shetoldhimthatthe processwas
confidential;thathemustnotspeaktoanyoneabouttheallegations againsthimunlesshe
obtainedpriorauthorizationfromtheCollege’sinvestigator; andthathecouldprovidealistof
relevantwitnessestotheinvestigator,butthatrelevantwitnesseswouldonlybepeoplewhowere
directlyinvolvedinthe event.
TheCollegeConducts a GrosslyInadequateInvestigation
30. TheCollegeretainedan attorney,Allyson Kurker,toconductaninvestigationand
reportonher conclusions. Theinvestigatorwas chargedwithinterviewingJones,Doe“andany
otherindividualwhomayhaveinformationrelevanttothedetermination,”(Policy,¶VIII(4)),
including“anywitnessidentifiedbythepartie,”(Procedure,(ix)(4));with gathering,among
otherthings, “documents,communications betweenthepartiesandotherelectronicrecords as
appropriate,”(Policy,¶VIII(4); Procedure,(ix(4));andtomakeareportsummarizingand
analyzingtherelevantfacts. (Procedure,(ix)(C)(1)). Atrueandcorrect copyofthe
investigativereportisattachedheretoas Exhibit2.3
31. BothSandraJones andJohnDoeprovided alistofwitnessestotheevents. The
investigatorthereafterinterviewedbothofthemandthewitnessestheyhad identified,namely,
LR andJM,namedbySandraJones,andEH,EK, NKandRM,namedbyJohnDoe. Allofthe
interviews,exceptone,wereconductedonasingleday, November11,2013.
3Thepubliclyfiledreportandexhibitsattachedheretocontainredactionsofallstudentnames,with"JohnDoe"and
"SandraJones"beingusedfortheplaintiffandthedisciplinarycomplainant,respectively,andinitialsbeingusedto
identifyotherstudents,toprotecttheirprivacy.
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32. WhenSandraJoneswas interviewedbytheinvestigatoron November11,just
twoweeksafterfilingherwrittenclaim,shefundamentallychangedherstory. Whileher
October28writtencomplaintallegedthattheoralsex withtheplaintiffin February2012had
beennonconsensualthroughout,(Ex.2atEx.Bthereto), andawritten accountshegavetothe
investigator atthetimeoftheinterviewmadethesameclaim,(Ex.2andEx.Cthereto),during
herinterviewSandraJones admittedthatshehad beguntoperformoralsex willinglyonthe
plaintiff,andthatitonlybecamenonconsensual"onabreak"duringthesex act. SeeEx.2atp.
3.
33. SandraJonesalsotoldtheinvestigatorthatshe"didnotemail,textorotherwise
reducewhathadhappenedwith[JohnDoe]towriting." SeeEx.2atp.6.
34. TheinvestigatorinterviewedJohnDoeonthesameday. Doetoldtheinvestigator
thathehadexperiencedablackoutanddidnotrememberhis interactionwithSandraJones. He
insisted,however,thathewasnotcapableofforcingawomantohavesex. SeeEx.2atp.6,8-9.
35. Theinvestigatorinterviewed LR,theindividualwhohadprecipitated Sandra
Jones's complaint. LRclaimedthatJohnDoehad admittedtoherthathehadsexuallyassaulted
SandraJonesin February2012. SeeEx.2atp.11.
36. TheinvestigatoralsointerviewedEK, SandraJones's roommatein February2012.
EKreportedthatwhenshereturnedtocampus,SandraJones toldheronlythatsheandDoehad
kissed. SeeEx.2atp.10. EKinformedtheinvestigatorthatshehadheard thatSandraJones
hadexchangedtextmessageswithanotherstudent andResidentialCounseloratthedorm,DR,
afterhersexualinteractionwithJohnDoe. Theinvestigator,however,neverinterviewedDR.
37. Theinvestigatordidnotcollectanytextmessages fromSandraJones oranyone
elsewhohad exchanged textmessageswithheratoraboutthetimeoftherelevantevents. The
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investigatorfailedtoaskSandraJonestoidentifyanyindividuals shesaw orcommunicatedwith
immediatelyafterthesexualencounter withJohnDoeand,accordingly,neitherinterviewed any
suchpersons oridentifiedtheminherreport.
38. JohnDoe,bycontrast,suppliedelectronic messagesbetweenhimand EK, Sandra
Jones'sroommatein2012,andbetweenhimselfandRM,afriendof SandraJoneswhohadbeen
presentinthedormitory's commonroomon February4-5,2012andhadseenSandraJoneslead
JohnDoetoherdormroom. InanelectronicmessagefromRMtoDoe,RMreferredto Sandra
Joneshaving"hookedup withanother guyafter[JohnDoe]leftthatsamenight." The
investigatordidnothingtoidentifythis "[]other guy" ortoobtainanyrelevantevidencefrom
himrelatingtohisinteractions withandobservations ofSandraJonessubsequenttohersexual
interactionwithJohnDoe.
39. Theinvestigatorpreparedareportsummarizingherinterviews. Thereport
attachedonlytheelectronicmessagessuppliedbyJohnDoe,includingelectronicFacebook
messagesbetweenJohn DoeandRM. ThereportdidnotmentionEK'sstatementthat Sandra
Joneshadexchangedtextmessageswithanotherstudent,DR,abouthersexualencounterwith
JohnDoeimmediatelyaftertheevent.
40. Theinvestigator'sreportofferednoconclusionas towhetherJohnDoehad forced
SandraJonestoengageinoralsex. TheinvestigatorfoundthatJohnDoe's accountwas
consistentandcredibleinsofarashestatedthathehadexperienced atotalblackoutandcould
recallnothingofhiseveningwithSandraJones.
41. TheinvestigatordidnotcreditthetestimonyofLR,whoclaimedthatJohnDoe
hadadmittedtosexuallyassaultingSandraJones.
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