DURHAM, N.C. — The former Duke men's lacrosse coach who lost his job after a stripper claimed three players raped her at a party in 2006 sued the school and its top spokesman yesterday, claiming slander and libel.
The case was later debunked, and the prosecutor who pursued the charges was disbarred last year.
Mike Pressler's lawsuit said Duke's senior vice president of public affairs and government relations, John Burness, made slanderous and defamatory comments about him to the media.
Pamela Bernard, Duke vice president and general counsel, said yesterday that the lawsuit has no merit and "is yet another attempt to reopen a sealed matter."