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Suspended Michigan State Spartans football coach Mel Tucker has been challenged to take the stand in court by sexual harassment accuser Brenda Tracy.
Michigan State suspended Tucker without pay on Sunday after a bombshell story revealed that he was facing a Title IX investigation over alleged harassment over Tracy.
Tracy, a rape survivor, is renowned for the work she does with college athletes educating about and advocating against sexual violence.
Tucker allegedly made sexual comments and masturbated without consent during a phone call.
Though he fervently denies those accusations.
“While I am saddened by Ms. Tracy’s disclosure of the sensitive nature of this call, let me be perfectly clear—it was an entirely mutual, private event between two adults living at opposite ends of the country,” Tucker said.
Tucker claims that Tracy gave him “every indication that everything was fine” in the months following the private phone call, saying Tracy even sent him a ‘Happy Father’s Day’ card two months after their conversation that night, and expressing a desire to return to Michigan State.
But Tracy does not see it that way.
She responded to Tucker’s statement on Monday and wants him to take the stand in court.
“This is just more of the same DARVO, defection, victim blaming and lies that I’ve been dealing with now for months,” Tracy said on social media.
“Coach Tucker has been delaying and trying to stop the investigative process since the beginning. He can’t afford to go to a hearing that determines credibility of the participating parties. I believe this statement is his way of getting out of participating in the hearing. October 5th and 6th I will be present for the hearing and make myself available for cross examination by his attorney Jennifer Belveal. I invite him to do the same.”
Tracy plans to be in court. Whether or not Tucker is could go a long way to determining what happens next.