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Report: Judge rejects appeal filed by former MSU staffer in case against Mark Dantonio
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An appeal filed by former Michigan State football staffer Curtis Blackwell has been rejected by the Michigan Court of Appeals, according to a report from the Lansing State Journal.
Blackwell, a former director of college advancement and performance, filed a lawsuit against ex-head coach Mark Dantonio, former Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon and former athletics director Mark Hollis, claiming his contract was not renewed because of racism. The appeal was dismissed on June 25 by Judge Michael Gadola, per the report.
The reason behind the appeal’s dismissal was because Blackwell and his attorney “failed to timely file the brief on appeal.” From the Lansing State Journal:
Blackwell filed the lawsuit in March 2020 in Wayne County Circuit Court against Dantonio, Hollis and Simon accusing them of racism. Blackwell claimed breach of contract and violations of the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act in the lawsuit.
Blackwell initially filed a federal lawsuit in 2018 against Dantonio, Simon and Hollis after his contract was allowed to expire following an investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving three football players. He alleged that his contract was not renewed because he did not speak with investigators regarding the situation.
Cases against Dantonio, Simon and Hollis were tossed out.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB