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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A former Haskell Indian Nations University student alleges in a lawsuit that she was retaliated against after reporting that two football players raped her in a residence hall.
The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court is the second alleging retaliation, The Topeka Capital-Journal (http://bit.ly/2e7zYXD ) reports. A school employee, Angelina Adams, also sued earlier this month, alleging that she was demoted from her job as a student counselor after trying to help the student.
Jared Wheeler and Galen Satoe have been charged in Douglas County District Court with raping the woman when she was 19 in November 2014. Both were expelled, and their trials ended in hung juries. Wheeler is scheduled for a new jury trial starting Dec. 12, while Satoe is scheduled for a retrial starting Feb. 21.
The university averages about 1,000 students per semester, all of whom are members of federally recognized tribes, according to its website.
Haskell spokesman Stephen Prue didn't immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press.
In the latest lawsuit, the unidentified woman said she developed a medical and psychological condition that interfered with her ability to complete courses and that the assaults caused extreme emotional distress. Haskell initially assigned Adams to provide counseling.
In March, the woman became involved in a dispute with a male Haskell student in which the male student left bruises on her arms, and the woman was transported to a medical facility, the lawsuit alleges.
The suit said Haskell pressured the man to file an unfounded Title IX complaint against the woman that "left key details out." Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination and sexual violence at schools, colleges and universities that receive federal funds. It also requires institutions to work to resolve complaints of sexual harassment and sexual violence. Federal law further prohibits retaliation against people who report Title IX violations and those who advocate for victims' Title IX rights.
The lawsuit alleges the male student sent text messages suggesting that Haskell officials were forcing him to press a complaint against the woman. While she was at the medical facility, administrators faxed the woman a no contact order.
That same day, administrators expelled the woman and banned her from campus without an investigation or due process, the lawsuit says.
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Information from: The Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal, http://www.cjonline.com
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