EVANSTON,HAI Community Ill. (AP) — A cheerleader has dropped her federal sexual harassment lawsuit against Northwestern University.
Hayden Richardson filed the lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois in January 2021 alleging drunken fans and alumni groped her at school-sanctioned events in 2018 and 2019 and that administrators tried to cover up her complaints.
Online court records show Richardson agreed to withdraw the lawsuit on Monday and Judge Edward Chang approved the move Tuesday. The records don’t indicate why Richardson dropped the lawsuit. Richardson’s attorney, Andrew Miltenberg, declined to comment. Northwestern attorney Alan Pittler didn’t immediately return a message.
Richardson alleged in the lawsuit that the cheer team’s coach at the time, Pam Bonnevier, required female cheerleaders to mingle with powerful donors to help bring in more money for the university. She said that older men touched her over her uniform, picked her up without her consent, made sexual comments about her appearance and offered her alcohol even though she was underage.
The lawsuit named former Athletic Director Mike Polisky as a defendant. He stepped down in May 2021 after just a week on the job, saying “current challenges” would not allow him to lead effectively and he didn’t want to be a distraction.
The Associated Press typically does not identify people who allege they are victims of sexual assault or harassment but is naming Richardson because she has spoken publicly about her allegations.
2025-04-29 05:49328 view
2025-04-29 05:33388 view
2025-04-29 04:142280 view
2025-04-29 04:061156 view
2025-04-29 04:062906 view
2025-04-29 03:52728 view
SEOUL, Dec 12 - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's switch from contrition to defiance on Thursda
The Carolina Panthers are once again in the market for a new head coach after issuing Frank Reich a
Shoppers spent more on Black Friday than expected, and that comes ahead of Cyber Monday, which is ex