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Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:51:13 -0700
marlon from private IP, post #17133395
/all
MSU coach
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state-university/spartans/2025/03/28/mel-tuckers-disappearance-holding-up-lawsuit-plaintiff-claims/82706810007/
Where’s Mel Tucker? Former MSU coach’s disappearance holding up lawsuit,
plaintiff claims
Portrait of Connor EaregoodConnor Earegood
The Detroit News
0:00
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0:30
Former Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker can’t be found, and
that’s holding up a lawsuit filed against him.
First reported by The State News, The Detroit News confirmed that nearly six
months after Brenda Tracy filed a defamation suit against Tucker, Tracy’s
attorney, Karen Truszkowski, claims that Tucker cannot be located after multiple
attempts to serve the lawsuit. Now, an Ingham County court has approved
Truszkowski's request for an order of alternate service, according to a document
obtained by The Detroit News.
In order for a case to proceed, the defendant must be served with a lawsuit,
which involves signing a summons to appear in court. This ensures the defendants
know they are being sued and are aware of what the suit entails.
In October 2023, just short of a month after firing Tucker, a Michigan State
investigation found that Tucker had sexually harassed Tracy while she worked
with his football team. Tracy is a rape survivor and activist who speaks with
college athletics teams about sexual assault. In December 2022, she filed a
complaint with MSU against Tucker that accused him of making sexual comments and
masturbating without her consent during an April 2022 phone call. Tucker said
their relationship and the phone call were both consensual.
Former Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker has not been located and has not
been served with a lawsuit, which is holding up the proceedings.
Tracy’s October 2024 suit alleges that Tucker defamed her by calling their
relationship consensual, and that he breached a contract by cancelling her
appearance to speak with his team. She also claims that the scandal caused her
to lose other contracts.
According to court filings, Truszkowski has attempted to serve Tucker via
certified mail at all of his known addresses, including an East Lansing home he
still owns. Every letter was returned as undeliverable without a forwarding
address.
That same home is where a process server attempted to serve Tucker. Instead, the
server found that it was occupied by Tucker’s ex-wife and her mother.
According to an affidavit of non-service filed in February, Tucker hasn’t
lived at that house since he and his wife divorced more than a year ago. The
server claimed that a UPS driver delivering to the address said Tucker no longer
lives at the address.
Tucker’s own attorneys would not accept service on behalf of their client,
either, and that leaves this case at a standstill. The former coach is, however,
aware of the case, as he referenced it in a lawsuit against Michigan State
University regarding his termination.
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Tracy and Truszkowski can continue the lawsuit through alternate service. The
order signed by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Wanda Stokes on March 17
ordered service of the suit via first-class mail to Tucker's last known address;
tacking the suit to the door of Tucker's last known address; and posting the
suit to a local newspaper, if available. Proof of service must be filed promptly
with the court. Failure to respond to these methods of alternate service will
result in a default judgment in Tracy's favor, according to Stokes' order.
The Detroit News attempted to reach Tucker’s legal team but did not receive a
response in more than 24 hours.
cearegood@detroitnews.com
@ConnorEaregood
Thu, 03 Apr 2025 06:01:05 -0700
2tierreality from private IP
Reply #13964301 https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2025/04/ncaa-investigating-michigan-state-football-for-potential-violations-under-mel-tucker.html
Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:54:06 -0700
zerosugar from private IP
Reply #14996970 that sucks when defendants avoid
service. litigation in general sucks unless you are suing somebody worth
millions. this coach may have money though. i wonder if he refused mediation
first to settle this privately?
Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:05:59 -0700
whiteguyinchina from private IP
Reply #11841009 So the MSU coach claims jerking
off on a phone call with a sexual assault counselor was consensual? Yea ok
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