deadspin: Girlfriend Of Former USC Kicker Says School "Railroaded" Him In Title IX Investigation

[Destino]

Quote

In February the USC Trojans suspended placekicker Matt Boermeester indefinitely for what was called a “code of conduct issue.” The player’s status with the program was vague as the year went on, until last week, when the school finally confirmed Boermeester was off the roster. The reason Boermeester had been suspended in the first place was unclear, until his girlfriend spoke this week.
 

Zoe Katz, a women’s tennis player for the Trojans, released a two-page statement through her lawyer Sunday in which she calls the school’s Title IX office a “rogue group” which treated her horribly during the investigation and “railroaded” Boermeester. An excerpt of Katz’s statement:

 

http://deadspin.com/girlfriend-of-former-usc-kicker-says-school-railroaded-1797468166

 

(worth clicking to read the statement of the alleged victim) 

 

These "investigations" seems a bit screwy. 

[Popeman38]

I will say it here again, Title IX was NEVER designed to be used for sexual assault.  It was designed to ensure that schools didn't discriminate on the basis of gender.  As it applies to sports, it makes sense. Applied to sexual assaults, it effectively discriminates against a gender by default.  The burden of proof is on the accused, and the accused has no access to the charges in advance, to call witnesses, and is assumed guilty.

 

And I am fully aware this post will have me labeled as supporting a rape culture before long...

[PleaseBlitz]

Read this a few days ago.  Something is going on behind the scenes that is not public. There is no way of knowing what it is.

End of the day, Ms. Katz's statement effectively exonerates Kicker in the court of public opinion, he was never getting criminally or civilly prosecuted, and he'll go kick for Oregon or wherever.  

 

Here is a live look at my internal outrage meter:

 

[Riggo-toni]

It's the kicker's fault for enrolling at USC - if he had enrolled at Penn State he's not only still be playing, but they would have appointed him supervisor of the cheerleaders and let him mentor incoming freshman girls.

[Busch1724]

Riggo...the victims would  be of the wrong genitalia.

[PleaseBlitz]

14 minutes ago, Riggo-toni said:

It's the kicker's fault for enrolling at USC - if he had enrolled at Penn State he's not only still be playing, but they would have appointed him supervisor of the cheerleaders and let him mentor incoming freshman girls.

 

Just now, Busch1724 said:

Riggo...the victims would  be of the wrong genitalia.

 

The solution is Baylor. 

[Busch1724]

Bingo!

[Riggo-toni]

1 minute ago, Busch1724 said:

Riggo...the victims would  be of the wrong genitalia.

Title IX - they have to give equal protection to predators of all types; otherwise, it's discrimination!

[Destino]

2 hours ago, PleaseBlitz said:

Read this a few days ago.  Something is going on behind the scenes that is not public. There is no way of knowing what it is.

 

im not willing to grant them that benefit of the doubt.  The system described by the alleged victim isn't about determining facts, it's just a show put on to create the illusion of credibility.  

 

 

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

3 hours ago, PleaseBlitz said:

The solution is Baylor. 

Yeah, Sometimes it was hard to finagle the remaining points in week 5 of recruiting in NCAA Football for PS2. I used to play as Baylor just to have that extra recruiting option.

 

Send the house: 15 pts

Rape: 10 pts

Head Coach visit: 8 pts

Assistant Coach visit: 4 pts

 

etc...

[PleaseBlitz]

3 hours ago, Destino said:

im not willing to grant them that benefit of the doubt.  The system described by the alleged victim isn't about determining facts, it's just a show put on to create the illusion of credibility.  

 

 

Maybe. In my experience, when the outcome seems completely detached from the expected outcome, and all the information is coming from one side, the story isnt complete. Im not giving any side the benefit of the doubt, im saying it's too odd to take at face value. 

[Gamebreaker]

I'd like to know what these multiple witnesses claimed they saw, and what is their relationship with the alleged victim and the kicker. 

 

What if one of these male tennis players had a crush on her? Or a beef with him? The initial statement could've been motivated to cause problems from the very start. Or maybe they've seen the kicker jacking her up multiple times and she really is a "battered wife" who'd need therapy to be so committed to someone who is abusing her.  

 

It is believable to me that the Title IX office would railroad a guy like that. They're more concerned about a scandal. But I also don't get the one part where she says the kicker wasn't allowed to see or contact her. That makes no sense, USC can't legally force them to stay a part. It's really difficult trying to determine what's the truth when you're only hearing one side of the story. 

[Popeman38]

18 hours ago, PleaseBlitz said:

Maybe. In my experience, when the outcome seems completely detached from the expected outcome, and all the information is coming from one side, the story isnt complete. Im not giving any side the benefit of the doubt, im saying it's too odd to take at face value. 

The problem is that the university is not equipped to make decisions about sexual assault.  Sexual assault should always be a law enforcement matter, and Title IX has turned it into a political issue.  Now instead of having the right to face their accuser, the accused have no rights at all. They are informed that they need to show up at a student conduct hearing. They are not informed why they are appearing at the hearing. They find out when the hearing started. They don't get to cross examine, dispute, or mount a defense. They are not permitted to have a lawyer speak or advise them.  And then, the level is "preponderance of evidence" and not "beyond a reasonable doubt."

 

10 hours ago, Gamebreaker said:

I'd like to know what these multiple witnesses claimed they saw, and what is their relationship with the alleged victim and the kicker. 

 

What if one of these male tennis players had a crush on her? Or a beef with him? The initial statement could've been motivated to cause problems from the very start. Or maybe they've seen the kicker jacking her up multiple times and she really is a "battered wife" who'd need therapy to be so committed to someone who is abusing her.  

 

It is believable to me that the Title IX office would railroad a guy like that. They're more concerned about a scandal. But I also don't get the one part where she says the kicker wasn't allowed to see or contact her. That makes no sense, USC can't legally force them to stay a part. It's really difficult trying to determine what's the truth when you're only hearing one side of the story. 

USC can by making his presence on the campus contingent upon him not seeing or contacting the "victim" as long as he is a student at USC.

[Bozo the kKklown]

Universities care more about public relations than the victim, the accussed, and a good solution.