Eric Murdock, a former director of basketball player development of Rutgers University, and the person responsible for giving the Mike Rice ill-treatment tapes to the university's athletic director Tim Pernetti, has filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against the university in the state court, Friday.
Murdock's lawsuit accuses the university of s ix counts of wrongdoing, violating the state's employee protection act and his contract and of retaliating against him for complaining about the men's basketball coach's mistreatment of players.
Murdock's lawyer wrote to the university about coach Mike Rice's misconduct in July and gave the university the video in November.
Murdock claims that he told the university's athletic director Tim Pernetti, about Rice's unethical behaviour during several occasions. Instead of taking action against Rice, Murdock was fired.
"That is wrong and that is why I filed my lawsuit," Murdock said.
The lawsuit names the university, Rice, Pernetti, university president Robert L. Barchi and former president Richard L McCormick as defendants.
An excerpt of the lawsuit:
"Having played organized basketball for his entire life, including at the highest level in the National Basketball Association, Mr. Murdock never experienced a coach whose behavior and treatment of his players and others crossed the line into aforementioned assaultive, abusive and other unlawful conduct."
"Although many instances of Defendant Rice's abuse and misconduct were public these incidents were ignored by the University and its officials."
Rice Suspended In December
Last November, Pernetti viewed the tape, given to him by Murdock. The video excerpts, which were not revealed to the public at that time, were shot between 2010 and 2012. It caused Rice a three-game suspension, a $75,000 fine and admission to anger-management therapy classes in December.
Once his suspension period ended, he was again retained as the team's head coach. Rice promised the management that he will try to work on his temper.
Last December, Murdock actually sought a settlement with the university.
An excerpt of the letter sent by Murdock's attorneys to the university, Dec. 27:
"While we believe that the recent suspension and fine of Mr. Rice and his enrollment in anger management and future monitoring of his conduct (as we suggested) was a small step in the right direction, it is unfathomable to think that Mr. Rice's employment with the University continues while Mr. Murdock remains unemployed for simply having done the right thing. ...
Murdock is satisfied that the university has finally suspended Rice, which was long overdue.
University Suspends Rice
The video of Rice, nationally telecast on Tuesday by the ESPN sports network sparked outrage among students, faculty, state legislators, and fans .
Rutgers University President Robert Barchi, who actually looked at the tapes only on late Tuesday, suspended Rice immediately, Wednesday.
Due to this controversial tape, Pernetti, assistant coach Jimmy Martelli and John B. Wolf, Rutgers' interim senior vice president and general counsel, also submitted their resignations. The university is facing more trouble as certain big -time donors are threatening to withdraw funds.