12-13-2011, 03:33 PM
Two men who say they were sexually abused by a former assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University plan to sue the school and head basketball coach Jim Boeheim, a source told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Tuesday.
The source told OTL that a defamation suit is scheduled to be filed by Bobby Davis and Mike Lang naming Syracuse and Boeheim among the defendants. Davis and Lang accused Syracuse associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting them during the 1980s and '90s. They made the accusations in interviews with OTL in November.
When OTL's first story was broadcast and published, Boeheim called the accusers "liars" who were looking for money.
"You know how much money is going to be involved in civil suits?" Boeheim said. "I'd say about $50 million. That's what this is about. Money."
Attorney Gloria Allred has called a press conference for 2 p.m. in New York City. Davis previously maintained that he is not looking to sue Fine.
The two men plan to appear with Allred at the news conference.
A third man also has accused Fine. The U.S. attorney's office is investigating.
Among Allred's recent clients is a woman who accused presidential candidate Herman Cain of making unwelcome sexual advances.
Davis was a ball boy for the team in the 1980s. Lang is his stepbrother. Fine has since been fired.
Also Tuesday, the third man who accused Fine of molestation said he fully expects to go to prison for sexually abusing a boy in Maine.
Zachary Tomasell, of Lewiston, Maine, wrote on Facebook that he's looking to "find strength to get through this" as plea negotiations continue. He's already admitted that most of the accusations are true and says he takes responsibility for "the hell I put this teen through."
Syracuse's school newspaper, The Daily Orange, quoteed Tomaselli as saying he expects to spend two years behind bars.
Tomaselli is now under a gag order. His remarks to the newspaper and on Facebook were made before it went into effect.
A message was left Tuesday for Tomaselli's lawyer.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketba...ernie-fine
The source told OTL that a defamation suit is scheduled to be filed by Bobby Davis and Mike Lang naming Syracuse and Boeheim among the defendants. Davis and Lang accused Syracuse associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting them during the 1980s and '90s. They made the accusations in interviews with OTL in November.
When OTL's first story was broadcast and published, Boeheim called the accusers "liars" who were looking for money.
"You know how much money is going to be involved in civil suits?" Boeheim said. "I'd say about $50 million. That's what this is about. Money."
Attorney Gloria Allred has called a press conference for 2 p.m. in New York City. Davis previously maintained that he is not looking to sue Fine.
The two men plan to appear with Allred at the news conference.
A third man also has accused Fine. The U.S. attorney's office is investigating.
Among Allred's recent clients is a woman who accused presidential candidate Herman Cain of making unwelcome sexual advances.
Davis was a ball boy for the team in the 1980s. Lang is his stepbrother. Fine has since been fired.
Also Tuesday, the third man who accused Fine of molestation said he fully expects to go to prison for sexually abusing a boy in Maine.
Zachary Tomasell, of Lewiston, Maine, wrote on Facebook that he's looking to "find strength to get through this" as plea negotiations continue. He's already admitted that most of the accusations are true and says he takes responsibility for "the hell I put this teen through."
Syracuse's school newspaper, The Daily Orange, quoteed Tomaselli as saying he expects to spend two years behind bars.
Tomaselli is now under a gag order. His remarks to the newspaper and on Facebook were made before it went into effect.
A message was left Tuesday for Tomaselli's lawyer.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketba...ernie-fine