Five 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 at the time of his graduation, was asked to leave the ceremony because he was “criminally trespassing,” 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.
At his ceremony, Richards was in the process of serving his February sentence for assault, criminal damaging and disorderly conduct.
In February, Richards had an altercation with a student who had used a racial slur. This student attacked him in a bar Uptown, 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 for this case. In April, the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility ordered a suspension until December 2012.
Smith reduced the suspension until August 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.
Richards did not contest the June trespassing allegation and was given a $100 fine, according to court documents.
Neither McDavis nor the university comment on pending litigation, said Jennifer Kirksey, chief of staff to McDavis.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
