Baton Rouge, Louisiana – LSU has reached a settlement agreement to pay $1.9 million in a lawsuit involving 10 former students. The lawsuit accused university officials of violating the students’ civil rights by failing to adequately investigate and address reports of rape, partner violence, and sexual harassment on campus. The settlement, obtained through a public-records request, was signed by LSU President William Tate on March 27.
The lawsuit, filed in 2021, came in the wake of numerous former students speaking out about their experiences of sexual assault at LSU. Two plaintiffs in the case alleged that former LSU football star Derrius Guice raped them in 2016, while two others accused Guice of different forms of sexual misconduct during that same year. Guice’s attorneys have denied these allegations.
Among the plaintiffs was former LSU tennis star Jade Lewis, who suffered repeated abuse at the hands of former LSU football player Drake Davis in 2017 and 2018. Davis later pleaded guilty to battery of a dating partner and violating a protective order in Lewis’ case. The women argued that LSU officials turned a blind eye to their suffering and failed to take action to protect them, violating federal Title IX law, which mandates investigations into such misconduct on campus.
In their court filings, the plaintiffs claimed that many of them were discouraged or prevented from reporting to LSU’s Office of the Title IX Coordinator by university employees. Those who attempted to file complaints alleged that they were ignored and their grievances were not appropriately addressed. LSU’s attorneys, however, disagreed, stating that Title IX does not require flawless investigations, and the university’s response must be “clearly unreasonable in light of the known circumstances” for liability to occur.
The settlement agreement explicitly states that the monetary payment does not constitute an admission of liability or wrongdoing. Both sides have also agreed to pay their own attorney’s fees, and a gag order has been imposed on discussing the agreement’s terms and conditions with the press. The plaintiffs’ lawyers will determine how the settlement money will be divided among the 10 women.
This is not the first time LSU has faced legal repercussions for Title IX violations. In 2001, the university settled a lawsuit filed by three former female soccer players, paying each of them $37,500 and committing to supporting women’s athletics. A federal judge ruled in 1997 that LSU demonstrated “arrogant ignorance” in violating Title IX, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this ruling in 2000, stating that LSU continued to engage in differential treatment of women.
This settlement serves as a significant development in a ongoing story. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.