A former St. Joseph’s University baseball teammate has filed a lawsuit alleging he was stripped naked and assaulted in a brutal hazing this past March.
Filed Monday in the State Supreme Court in Suffolk County, the lawsuit alleged “a pattern of hazing, bullying, physical assault, humiliation, retaliation, negligent supervision, and institutional misconduct” occurred during the Plaintiff’s participation on the varsity baseball team. At least 30 unidentified teammates are alleged to have participated in the hazing that was known by head baseball coach Thomas Caputo and assistant coach Elliot Robles, per the New York Post.
“Among other acts, teammates forcibly placed dirty underwear on Plaintiff’s face and physically accosted him,” the lawsuit stated. Plaintiff was humiliated, threatened, intimidated, and physically assaulted, was placed in fear for his physical safety, and attempted to defend himself from the attack. A physical altercation ensued.”
The incident allegedly occurred on March 5 when the team was traveling to a game in Myrtle Beach, SC.
“The lawsuit contends that adequate supervision was not in place during that March incident, despite insistences by Robles that room checks and supervision of the athletes would take place, according to the lawsuit,” noted the NY Post.
“Court filings suggest that an investigation, which included Caputo and Robles taking part, had corroborated the victim’s accounts of what happened and that ‘defendants Caputo and Robles were aware that Plaintiff had not been the aggressor,’” it added.
Though the lawsuit alleges that Caputo and Robles promised to investigate the incident, the Plaintiff’s attorney, Mike Della, told Newsday that his client received a suspension while others faced no disciplinary action. The Plaintiff also began transferring schools and has been considering leaving baseball altogether.
The university said in a statement that it takes “concerns raised by members of our community seriously. This matter is currently the subject of pending litigation.”
“Out of respect for that process, we are not in a position to comment in detail on the allegations. The University strongly disagrees with the allegations and will address them through the appropriate legal process,” it added.