LANSING, Mich. — Former MSU football staffer Curtis Blackwell, suspended amid a sexual assault case involving three former players, is now demanding to see documents from the law firm that investigated the handling of rape allegations against three players.
The Jones Day Law Firm released a report in 2017 that declared Coach Mark Dantonio followed the proper procedures when Joshua King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance were accused of rape, and again when Auston Robertson was accused.
Blackwell claims the report was manufactured to clear Dantonio and make him the scapegoat.
According to the report, Dantonio said he immediately informed the Title IX office once he was told about each set of allegations and then stayed out of the way.
The report also stated that Blackwell violated protocol by starting his own investigation into the case involving King, Corley and Vance.
MSU police arrested Blackwell and recommended he be charged with obstruction.
The Ingham County Prosecutor's Office did not file charges.
Blackwell denies doing anything wrong and wants the judge to order Jones Day to turn over all documents related to that report.
Jones Day is fighting it, claiming attorney-client privilege.
Blackwell's lawyers argue his request falls under an exception to that rule.
MSU suspended Blackwell following his arrest back in February of 2017. His contract was supposed to end on March 31, however MSU extended it twice before allowing it to run out, which would have ended his employment on May 31.
Blackwell is suing Dantonio, former Athletic Director Mark Hollis, former MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon and the two MSU police detectives who arrested him.
Blackwell is asking for up to $5.5 million from the detectives. At this time, it is unknown how much money he wants from the other defendants.
FOX 47 News reached out to Blackwell's lawyer for comment, but have not heard back yet.
King, Corley and Vance cut a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to "seduction."
They were sentenced to three years probation, therapy and community service. None of them served prison time.
Robertson also cut a deal and pleaded guilty to "assault with intent to penetrate" serving three and a half to 10 years in prison.
Regarding the allegations against him, Dantonio released a statement back in September.
He said "the fact that Mr. Blackwell's contract was not renewed has nothing to do with Auston Robertson rather than engage in a public argument with former staffer, I refer you to previous statements."
He went on to say there were several investigations into how his program handled sexual assaults and they found no violations.
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