Mel Tucker tells Michigan State University he will file wrongful termination lawsuit
Former Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker informed the university that he plans to potentially file a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Tucker's attorney, Jennifer Belveal, sent a letter to Michigan State's legal counsel requesting to maintain all electronic and paper records for members of the athletic department and other employees for potential litigation in the future.
Michigan State fired Tucker for cause on Wednesday due to admissions he made during an investigation into a claim that he sexually harassed Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault activist, over the phone.
Tucker brought Tracy in to speak with his team in 2021 and named her honorary captain for the spring game on April 16, 2022. The phone call in question is alleged to have taken place 12 days later, on April 28, 2022. Tucker admitted to investigators that he masturbated during the call; Tracy said it was without her consent, but Tucker claimed it was consensual.
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MSU athletic director Alan Haller initially suspended Tucker on Sept. 10, a day after USA TODAY published an investigation into the complaint. A week later, MSU decided to fire Tucker and sent a letter informing him he would be fired with cause, as required in his contract, to have time for rebuttal. Tucker submitted a letter saying the school's investigation was unfair and biased, but it did not persuade Haller or MSU to change their mind.
MSU fired Tucker before the completion of the university investigation, which is slated to end Oct. 6 after a two-day hearing between Tracy, Tucker and a third-party investigator. In Tucker's termination letter, Haller said the university made the decision sooner because of Tucker's admissions to sexual comments and acts with Tracy, who was hired previously by the school as a vendor, violating stipulations of his contract.
MSU cited Tucker's admitted actions of masturbating on a phone call with Tracy as reasons that violated the moral turpitude clause in his contract and alleged he materially breached the agreement for not conducting himself “professionally and ethically, with integrity and sportsmanship at all times.”
In her response letter, Belveal reiterated arguments that Tucker has made throughout the case, including that the university lacked jurisdiction to investigate his "private life."
The potential lawsuit could be a way to save the money Tucker was guaranteed for the rest of the deal. Tucker was owed $79 million through 2032 before he was fired with cause. Tucker signed a 10-year, $95 million extension with MSU in 2021 after leading MSU to an 11-2 season and a Peach Bowl victory in his second year in East Lansing.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mel Tucker tells Michigan State football he will file lawsuit
