Five former or current Ohio University officials are being sued in a developing lawsuit after a student claims he was inappropriately expelled from his graduation ceremony last year.
Gregory Richards, who was on probation after a fight at the time of his graduation, was arrested and asked to leave the ceremony because he was “criminally trespassing,” according to court documents.
Richards did not contest the trespassing allegation and was fined $100, according to court documents.
The lawsuit cites OU President Roderick McDavis; Ryan Lombardi, interim vice president for Student Affairs; Kent Smith, previous vice president for Student Affairs and current president of Langston University; Christopher Harris, director of the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility; and Jessica White, assistant director of the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility.
“It’s in the works,” Lombardi said.
Richards is suing most subjects for their “individual and official capacity” and their treatment toward Richards’ February case, which caused his probation at the time of his graduation.
Richards, who was expected to graduate last year, was a member of OU’s Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which was formed to represent minority students who faced racial prejudice. It has since been interracial since 1945, according to the fraternity’s website.
In February, Richards was walking to class when a white student directed a racial slur toward him, according to the complaint.
When Richards walked toward the student, he blew cigarette smoke in his face and Richards left the area, according to the complaint.
Richards later got into a fight with the same student at an Uptown bar; the student attacked Richards while another student jumped on Richards’ back, according to the complaint.
The student who originally said the slur continued taunting Richards at the BP gas station, according to the complaint.
The Athens Municipal Court fined Richards almost $400 and assigned him a two-year probation. In April, the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility ordered a suspension until December 2012.
Smith reduced the suspension to last until August 2012 but began the start time a week from graduation, preventing Richards from completing his degree in June 2012.
However, Richards said he and his family were later invited to the graduation ceremony, where he was arrested for trespassing by the OU Police Department. Richards’ lawsuit documents include the commencement invitation.
Neither McDavis nor the university commented on the pending litigation, said Jennifer Kirksey, chief of staff to McDavis.
Richards and his attorney, Derek Farmer, could not be reached for comment.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
