Legal Analysis By Attorneys
Breaking Legal News
Attorney Commentary: Read the second section of this article for commentary from university sexual abuse lawyer Brian Kent on the legal rights of student sex abuse victims.
Former University of Illinois police officer Jerry Sandage is facing criminal sexual assault charges after several women have come forward with allegations against him.
Sandage resigned from the department in February after being charged with seven counts of official misconduct in December 2019. Those charges were brought based on allegations that he used police resources to gather information on women between February 2017 and January 2018.
The latest charges against the 48-year-old former cop include four counts of criminal sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual abuse, and two counts of intimidation. February court statements from a Champaign County prosecutor state that multiple women have told police that Sandage may have sexually assaulted them.
Sandage was placed on administrative leave in September 2018 when sexual assault allegations against him first came to light, but he eventually returned to work. He was placed on administrative leave a second time in October 2019.
The new charges were filed following an investigation by the University of Illinois and Champaign police departments, along with the Champaign County State’s Attorney, Sheriff’s Department, and state police.
Attorney contributor Brian Kent represents sexual assault victims in civil lawsuits, including victims of sexual assault on university campuses. Brian has offered to share some info on the legal rights of university sexual assault victims:
Sexual assault is a major problem affecting universities throughout the country. According to the Title IX law, all universities have a legal duty to make sure their students are protected from sexual harassment and sexual assault. When students are sexually assaulted, it’s important to both prosecute the perpetrator and to investigate the university to determine if the school was in accordance with Title IX.
In some cases, universities can be sued for on-campus sexual assaults. For example, a university could be held liable if the perpetrator was an employee with a history of sexual misconduct allegations against them but the university failed to address those allegations.
You can learn more about your legal rights as a university sexual assault victim by contacting our experienced sexual assault victims lawyers for a free consultation.
info@legalherald.com