Former student files lawsuit against Marquette

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Marquette University is being sued by a former student over the handling of a rape case in 2014.

The lawsuit claims the university acted with indifference and negligence after the attack.  It was filed in Milwaukee Federal Court by a Chicago law firm that claims the nursing student was raped by a man who just months earlier was suspended by the University for stalking and harassing another female student.

The suit says the suspension was overturned, allowing the student suspect to return to campus in the fall, at which time, he sent the nursing student hostile and demeaning text messages and then raped her while she was drunk the morning of August 24, 2014.

Attorneys wrote:

“Rather than help and support their client,Marquette tried to sweep its mistake under the rug, discouraging her from reporting the rape to law enforcement and seeking to discredit her as a student.”

The District Attorney said we’d have to file an open records request to get information on the rape case. Marquette responded with the following statement:

"We take any claim brought forward by our students extremely seriously and we will take the appropriate time to review it thoroughly. We care deeply about all of our students and their well-being is our highest priority."

The suit is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial.