Jasmin Hernandez filed a Title IX civil lawsuit against the Baylor University Board in March 2016 that claimed Baylor failed to comply with Title IX requirements to investigate and support students who are victims of campus sexual assault.
Thursday, Baylor head football coach Art Briles was fired and Baylor President Ken Starr was reassigned as Chancellor.
“Jasmin Hernandez showed incredible courage by publicly stepping forward and filing this high profile complaint against the University,” Irwin Zalkin, attorney for Hernandez said. “As one of several victims of sexual assault by Baylor football players, her lawsuit added to the growing pressure on the University to take action. Ken Starr, of all people, should have taken action sooner to prevent sexual harassment and assault against female students, and Art Briles should have been terminated long ago.”
Hernandez’s complaint said that while she was a student at Baylor, she was raped by Tevin Elliot. Elliot was charged and convicted of the rape and is serving 20 years in prison.
She reported the rape and sexual assault to university authorities who refused to investigate, and never offered any support or assistance. She also reported the sexual assault to Baylor Campus Police.
In addition, she contacted the Baylor Student Health Center to seek counseling and was told there was no one who could help her.
The complaint was filed in March in the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, Waco Division. The lawsuit alleges that Football Coach, Art Briles, was well aware of prior sexual assaults by Elliot and failed to take any action to protect other students from this predator.
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