Isaiah Humphries, a former player for the Nittany Lions, is suing head coach James Franklin, Penn State and ex-teammate Damion Barber. According to the lawsuit, Humphries was subjected to hazing practices by teammates, with the coaching staff apprised of the instances, reacting to alleged occurrences with indifference.

Linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos and linebacker Jesse Luketa were all named in the lawsuit as parties aware of the hazing. In the lawsuit, people named were painted as members of the PSU football family who orchestrated and facilitated a cruel directive to harass and haze underclassmen on the Penn State football team.

For James Franklin, the allegations of general misconduct are starting to mount. Back in August, Dr. Scott A. Lynch, a former team doctor, filed a lawsuit in Dauphin County Court, alleging Franklin of using his influence to force decisions on whether or not a player was healthy enough to get back on the field.

Over the summer, we documented the troubling pattern of coaches wielding their power in ways opposite of the NCAA’s mission to help protect student-athletes from negligence.

As for the latest allegations, the information coming to the surface is especially disturbing, specifically since players are alleged to infer sodomy as part of the hazing process, stating, “I am going to Sandusky you.” It’s a phrase far closer to threatening sexual assault than what people would consider traditional hazing.

Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant coach, was arrested and charged with 52 counts of sexual abuse of young boys over a 15-year period from 1994 to 2009. Four charges would eventually be dropped, but Sandusky would later be convicted and found guilty on 45 of the 48 remaining charges.

Also found in the lawsuit, upperclassmen allegedly told new players they were “their (expletive) because this is a prison” and made threatening statements such as, “I am going to (expletive) you.”

Philadelphia attorney Steven Marino is representing the former Penn State player.. According to the lawyer, the act of hazing wasn’t limited to his client, who is now a member of the California Golden Bears.

“Isaiah attended the school during the calendar year of 2018. He leaves Penn State to another school where he’s offered a scholarship in December 2018,” Marino said, via ESPN. “The events that arise to an investigation conducted by Penn State’s office of sexual misconduct and response, that doesn’t arise until May 2019. That investigation was triggered by an anonymous tip and the source of that tip was not my client.”

Marino clearly infers several things with the statement, including the original allegations going without a proper investigation until after at least one other anonymous tip forced the university to do so, months after Humphries left Penn State.

Humphries is the son of former PSU and Buffalo Bills standout Leonard Humphries. The father asserts he notified Penn State coaching staff members of the hazing when it happened, but no recourse resulted.

“This is a family with a football pedigree,” Marino said. “The father knows the coaches and told them what was happening to his son as it was reported to him by his son. No affirmative action was taken to protect this student athlete at that time.”

On Tuesday, Penn State responded to Humphries’ allegations with the following statement:

“The University has established processes in place for responding to claims of potential misconduct. In accordance with our processes, the Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response and the Office of Student Conduct carried out investigations of the plaintiff’s claims independent from Intercollegiate Athletics. In addition, Penn State police investigated related allegations and forwarded the results of that investigation to the Office of the Centre County District Attorney (DA). The DA reviewed the case and decided that no charges would be pursued.”

The university did not immediately respond to a request seeking further comment.

Update (9:00 PM Eastern): The school responded with the statement above, but did also provide bullet point-styled answers to heavily asked questions.

• Asked for comment on the allegations involving Coach Franklin: Based on extensive interviews, we did not learn of any information that would substantiate the claims.
• Asked for comment regarding Damion Barber’s suspension of a game in September: The discipline of individual students is generally a confidential matter consistent with federal law.
• Asked for comment regarding the hazing allegations: No claims of hazing were substantiated against anyone.

The most damning part of the troubling allegations rests on the claim staff knew about the hazing and on multiple occasion “observed the harassment and hazing which the plaintiff and other lower classmen were being subjected to in the football locker room.”

This is a developing story still making its way through the legal process.

Written By: Joseph Nardone  Read Full Article: Allegations Mounting Against James Franklin As He And Penn State Are Sued For Hazing

Published By: Forbes, January 14, 2020 5:13pm EST Written by: Joseph Nardone

Story Link: “Allegations Mounting Against James Franklin As He And Penn State Are Sued For Hazing”