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Michigan State paid to settle complaint
Thursday, July 11, 2019

(EAST LANSING) - Michigan State University paid a combined $1.2 million to a woman and a former football player who were embroiled in a Title IX investigation and subsequent lawsuits if they both agreed to "set aside" the findings of an investigation that found the football player responsible for violating the school's sexual misconduct policy. The former female student, listed as "Jane Doe" in settlement documents obtained by multiple media outlets as part of a public records request, received $475,000 from the university. The football player, Keith Mumphery, received $725,000. The settlement ends a Title IX complaint saga that had, at times, resulted in conflicting conclusions. The woman filed a lawsuit in November 2017, stating that the school did not provide her adequate support services and failed to enforce a campus ban against Mumphery after finding him responsible for violating the school's sexual misconduct policy. Mumphery, who initially had been found not responsible in a 2015 Title IX investigation only to be found responsible the following year, sued MSU in May 2018, claiming that the school violated his due process rights, in part by not keeping him informed about the investigation's proceedings and expelling him over what his lawsuit stated were false accusations. The May 20 settlement documents state that "MSU agrees there were certain issues in the Title IX investigation, that, under the particular circumstances of this case, may warrant a new investigation and/or hearing." It stated that Mumphery and the woman agreed to "set aside" the decision finding Mumphery responsible for having sexually assaulted the woman, as well as the disciplinary action taken against Mumphery, and not engage in another investigation. It later states, "MSU takes no position on the allegations between Mumphery and Doe." Both lawsuits addressed in the Mumphery case settlement documents stem from an incident the woman reported to MSU officials on March 18, 2015. She said Mumphery had sexually assaulted her in her dorm room a day earlier. A six-month Title IX investigation determined in September 2015 that Mumphery had not violated the school's relationship violence and sexual misconduct policy. By that point, Mumphery, who last played for Michigan State in fall 2014, was already in the NFL, having been drafted by the Texans in May 2015. Mumphery currently is trying to restart his NFL career.

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