ATLANTA -- A final report from a law firm commissioned by Georgia Tech to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Georgia Tech basketball coach Josh Pastner finds those charges not credible.
According to a lawsuit, Pastner allegedly sexually harassed a former acquaintance, Jennifer Pendley, more than a dozen times in 2016.
Pendley and her live-in boyfriend Ronald Bell filed a lawsuit in February, seeking damages related to physical, mental and emotional pain and suffering caused by the alleged harassment.
Georgia Tech released a statement Monday morning in conjunction with the conclusion of an investigation into the allegations conducted by the law firm Fisher Phillips.
The statement reads:
'Georgia Tech retained the law firm Fisher Phillips to undertake an independent investigation of the allegations of sexual misconduct made against men's basketball coach Josh Pastner. Fisher Phillips has issued a final report and found, "None of the allegations of sexual misconduct against Josh Pastner are credible." Georgia Tech Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury has met with Coach Pastner to discuss the results of the investigation and recommendations regarding access to the team and team activities.'
Court documents filed on February 8 claim the assaults happened while Pastner was, first, head coach for the University of Memphis, then, at Georgia Tech.
On Monday afternoon, 11Alive Sports reporter Alec McQuade spoke to Paul Gattone, the former lawyer for Jennifer Pendley and Ron Bell.
During the phone conversation, Gattone said his law office had already decided to withdraw from representing Pendley and Bell against Coach Pastner, prior to the final report becoming public knowledge.
Gattone added that Pendley and Bell still have the options to represent themselves in court proceedings or secure new legal assistance.
11Alive News does not normally name victims of sexual assault but is doing so in this instance because Pendley and Bell have chosen to make this case public.
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