Florida A&M's (FAMU) head baseball coach has found himself at the center of a sexual harassment lawsuit after one of his players accused him of verbally abusing and touching him inappropriately, according to local news sources like the Tallahassee Democrat.
Willie Brown, the defendant and FAMU employee, was suspended without pay for two weeks in the aftermath of the announcement. The plaintiff in the suit, Vanard Williams II, was an infielder for the baseball team. At one point, he said that Brown humiliated him for being heavy and told the college student that he had "the worst body he's ever seen." The defendant also stated that Brown launched insults at Williams that were sexually inappropriate and directed vulgar gestures at him.
The plaintiff filed his complaint on November 20 and eight days later, the Florida university notified Brown of the accusations he is facing. The coach's lawyer, Steven Andrews, says that after talking to other members of the baseball team, he's sure that the claims against his client are false.
''I think whoever promoted this allegation has done Vanard Williams a disservice,'' said Andrews in a statement to the Tallahassee media outlet. ''His teammates [that] we interviewed all felt that they weren't true or were taken out of context.''
One piece of evidence that is likely going to surface during the trial are the documents that were signed by FAMU's baseball players who stated that they never witnessed any kind of inappropriate behavior by Brown.
In fact, Stevens even said that "his kids came in and they rallied around him," as a way to show their support for their suspended coach.
No one should ever experience sexual harassment while at work. If you live in Missouri and have been the victim of this type of behavior, then consider scheduling a consultation with a lawyer in Kansas City. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you collect damages you may be entitled to.