NEW YORK – High-profile attorney Gloria Allred and her clients, Bobby Davis and Mike Lang, announced at a press conference in New York City on Friday that they are hand-delivering a letter to the New York attorney general’s office, requesting he investigate Syracuse University’s report of Davis’ allegations against former associate coach Bernie Fine.

Davis and Lang have accused Fine of molesting them decades ago when they served as ball boys for the SU men’s basketball team.

In the letter, Allred claims that SU violated the Clery Act, a federal law that requires colleges to report crimes or threats on campus. Allred’s claim is based in part on facts and conclusions in SU’s 2005 report on the allegations that was released earlier this month to the Board of Trustees.

“Bobby believes that an investigation by the New York attorney general will show that the university and its agents, including head basketball coach Jim Boeheim and Chancellor Nancy Cantor, consistently and repeatedly have failed to meet their obligations under the Clery Act,” the letter states.

Allred claims SU’s report concluded that Boeheim knew of Bobby’s allegations against Fine as early as 2002, but seemingly never reported the allegations to the university or to the police.

The letter also states that Boeheim and other University employees, including assistant coach Mike Hopkins, who was also allegedly aware of the allegations, are obligated by the Clery Act to report the allegations “so long as there was even a remote possibility that they were not fabricated.”

Davis also issued a statement at today’s press conference, and said he felt the university was more concerned with protecting itself than protecting children on campus.

“My whole goal in sharing my painful experience with Bernie Fine was to try to protect other children and the community,” Davis said. “If SU violated the Clery Act then they need to be held accountable.”

If found guilty of violating the Clery Act, SU could face penalties of up to $27,500 for each violation, according to the American Council on Education’s website.

Allred additionally suggests in her letter that SU employees should be required this year, and every successive year, to attend detailed training programs to ensure that they are in compliance with the Clery Act.

Fine was fired from the university in November. He has denied all wrongdoing and has not been charged.

Published on July 19, 2012 at 12:00 am

Contact Alexandra: adhitzle@syr.edu | @LexieHitzler