LSU set to release report this week from law firm probing sexual misconduct cases

Mar. 3—LSU will release a long-awaited report Friday from the law firm Husch Blackwell over how the university has handled past complaints of sexual misconduct and domestic violence on campus.

LSU officials confirmed Tuesday that the university's Board of Supervisors will receive the report at a meeting at 10 a.m. Friday. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be at the Lod Cook Alumni Center, but capacity will be limited because of coronavirus restrictions. People can also livestream the meeting online, and LSU will post the report online as well.

The university hired Husch Blackwell in November to investigate several cases of sexual assault and dating violence on campus after many female students spoke out in a USA Today report, accusing LSU of failing to take appropriate action when they alleged misconduct. LSU agreed to pay Husch Blackwell up to $100,000 for the investigation. Their report will also analyze LSU's policies and procedures around Title IX, the federal law that prevents universities from discriminating against students based on their gender.

"We look forward to sharing the report findings with you on Friday, and I will certainly have more to share with you regarding our response to the findings and how we plan to ensure a safer and more supportive LSU for everyone as we move forward," said interim LSU President Tom Galligan in a message released to students, faculty and staff on Tuesday.

Women who have come forward with complaints about how LSU handled their sexual misconduct and domestic violence cases have called for severe consequences — including firings — for LSU employees who did not act on allegations of abuse.

"There were people intentionally and maliciously covering this up," said Samantha Brennan, a former LSU student who accused star former running back Derrius Guice of taking and sharing a partially nude photo of her in 2016 without her permission. Brennan filed a police report, but declined to pursue a criminal case against Guice and left LSU shortly afterward.

"Those people need to have some serious consequences."

More and more allegations of sexual misconduct at LSU have come to light amid the Husch Blackwell probe, the highest profile of them involving former LSU head football coach Les Miles. This newspaper reported last week that Miles entered a secret settlement with a student intern in the athletic department about a decade ago who accused him of harassment.

LSU's former human resources director also said that an attorney called him in 2013 about a sexual harassment investigation that she was conducting into Miles, and that he reported it to two former LSU presidents: Bill Jenkins and F. King Alexander. Jenkins said he did not remember hearing about it; Alexander declined to comment while waiting for the release of the Husch Blackwell report.

Reached by phone last week, Miles said he did not make improper advances toward a student, but he did not address the settlement. An attorney who represents him said a description of the settlement was "incomplete and inaccurate."

USA Today also reported that the 2013 sexual harassment investigation into Miles involved complaints that he had harassed students and made sexist comments about women. USA Today said that Miles' conduct was deemed improper, but that it did not rise to the level of breaking the law. The coach, who had just received a huge new contract at the time, apparently went undisciplined.

USA Today has also filed a lawsuit in Baton Rouge district court to receive a copy of the sexual harassment investigation into Miles, which was conducted by the law firm Taylor Porter. Miles has intervened in that case to prevent its public release.

LSU remains under court order not to release the investigation or its contents, though the Husch Blackwell report is likely to mention allegations of Miles' misconduct.

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