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Attorney files suit vs. USF for records

By ANTONYA ENGLISH

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 9, 2001

TAMPA -- The attorney for eight former University of South Florida women's basketball players who have filed racial discrimination lawsuits against the university has filed a new suit, alleging the university won't turn over public records pertaining to the case.

Winters

Tampa attorney Jonathan L. Alpert filed the suit Monday on behalf of six of the players, a former women's basketball secretary and a former assistant coach.

The civil suit alleges the university and its attorneys have failed to release copies of e-mails, written documents and tapes that then-coach Jerry Ann Winters made during one-on-one meetings with the former players after an internal review. The suit said the plaintiffs have been asking for the documents since Nov. 2.

"Here we've got a university that is still engaged in a coverup," Alpert said from his office Monday afternoon. "If the documents are innocent, why haven't they been released? If the records are benign, why haven't they been turned over? They have an obligation as a public body to turn records over within a week or 10 days. Our patience is exhausted."

South Florida associate general counsel Olga Joanow said she wasn't aware that the university and Alpert were still at odds over the issue.

"I have not seen the lawsuit and can't comment specifically," Joanow said. "However, an associate in Mr. Alpert's office has made contact with my office in order to see some of the records they have requested. I have only recently received a check and did not know we had any continuing problems concerning the release of these records."

The players claim in their suits they were mistreated because of their race. USF athletic director Paul Griffin is also named in one of the lawsuits.

Winters was suspended Oct. 25 and fired Dec. 14.

Monday's suit was filed on behalf of Dione Smith, Avia Lee, Patrice Coleman, LaTonya Greer, Tanya Gary and Tamekia Williams. Former athletic department secretary Lisa Walker and former assistant Tara Gibson are also plaintiffs. The suit requests an "accelerated hearing" on the issue.

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