ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Former University of Michigan professor David Daniels has initiated legal action against school officials over allegations of wrongful termination following accusations of sexual misconduct. Daniels, a renowned countertenor, was dismissed in 2020 after investigations concluded he engaged in inappropriate conduct with students.
The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages, asserting that Daniels’ rights were infringed upon during the termination process. A representative for the university has requested that the case be dismissed, contending that Daniels delayed legal proceedings excessively, undermining his allegations of rights violations.
Contrary to the university’s claims, Daniels’ legal team has argued that the delay was due to the criminal proceedings in Texas, which they described as presenting “exceptional circumstances” that justify the timeline of the lawsuit.
In 2020, the university’s probe found that Daniels solicited at least three students and shared sexually explicit material with one. Subsequently, Daniels faced charges in Houston in 2019 for the sexual assault of an opera singer. His professional engagements, including his role with the San Francisco Opera, were terminated across various institutions and organizations.
In a recent development as of 2023, Daniels, alongside his husband Scott Walters, entered a guilty plea to charges of sexual assault and received probation. Following this legal resolution, Daniels indicated receiving offers to rejuvenate his career in Europe, though he has yet to make a public performance since the allegations surfaced.
U.S. District Judge Sean Cox noted that Daniels could have pursued legal action sooner, despite the ongoing criminal case in Texas, hinting at the complexity of Daniels’ legal and professional entanglements.
The case highlights significant issues within academia and the arts concerning how allegations of misconduct are handled and the ramifications they carry for individuals and institutions alike.
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