In the midst of ongoing settlement talks between the University of Louisville and former athletic director Tom Jurich, legal counsel for the university has hired a private detective agency to investigate allegations made against Jurich.
In a statement, law firm Stoll Keenon Odgden confirmed that it has enlisted the services of Kentucky Special Investigative Unit to look into Louisvilleās contract with Adidas. The unit also contacted the Courier Journal seeking information about āany allegations of sexual harassment between Jurich and females involved with the University,ā according to the publication.
Investigators are seeking to substantiate insinuations made against Jurich in his termination letter Oct. 20, wherein interim president Greg Postel claimed Jurich had displayed āwillful misconduct,ā as well as āineffective management, divisive leadership, unprofessional conduct, and a lack of congeniality best characterized as intimidation and bullying.ā
In an interview with Courier Journal, Jurich called it āironicā to hire an investigation of allegations āthat simply do not exist.ā Said Jurich, āthe implication of an allegation [of sexual harassment] is a bold lie. It is shocking and shameful that someone associated with the University of Louisville has hired a private investigator to pursue a witch hunt against me.ā
Though Stoll Keenon Ogden called the investigation a āroutine part of ongoing or potential litigation,ā this new development provides a contrast from Jurichās June performance review by the university, which Postel described as āuniformly positiveā less than eight months ago.
In a statement Monday, Postel said, āThe [University of Louisville Athletic Association] review of Mr. Jurich was based on his performance in 2016-17, under a different administration. Since that time, new information has come to light that revealed significant deficiencies in his performance.ā
In a text message, Board of Overseers member Hal Bomar wrote, āUniversity officials have stooped to a new low, hiring a PI in an attempt to discredit Tom Jurich. This is nothing but a witch hunt and an embarrassment to U of L.ā
Attorney Sheryl Snyder, who has been representing Jurich, said he is ānot alarmedā to learn of the pending investigation. Though he called it āirregularā to involve a private investigator in a breach-of-contract dispute, he is ānot afraid a private investigator is going to find anything negative about Tom Jurich.ā