Judge Rules Rape Convict Can Play Football

(15 Sep 2017) A judge has decided a man convicted of rape as a teen in a highly publicized Ohio case will be temporarily reinstated on the Youngstown State University football team after he filed suit against the school in federal court. U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson granted Ma'lik Richmond, of Steubenville, a temporary restraining order against the university in a hearing on Thursday, allowing him to play football again for the next 14 days. She has scheduled a preliminary hearing for an injunction on Sept. 28. Richmond filed a federal lawsuit against the university Wednesday after the school allowed him to join the football team as a walk-on and then told him he couldn't play this season. He's seeking reinstatement to the team's active roster along with attorney fees and an unspecified amount of damages." One of Richmond's attorneys, Susan Stone, said in the lawsuit that the university had become infected with an anti-male bias due to Richmond's rape conviction. Stone argued Thursday that the university was contractually obliged to allow Richmond to play so long as he followed university rules. She said the university hurt Richmond's football career prospects by curtailing his exposure to professional scouts at the peak of his abilities, and that the restraining order was necessary to prevent Richmond from losing any more playing time. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...