The branches of the ongoing investigation into LSU's handlings of allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic violence cases have reached Lawrence, Kansas. A report from Andrea Gallo and Brooks Kubena of the Baton Rouge Advocate on Wednesday reveals that current Kansas coach Les Miles previously reached a settlement with a former athletic department student intern while he served as head coach of the Tigers program.
The extent of the investigation became public on Thursday, where Miles was accused of "texting female students, taking them to his condo alone, making them feel uncomfortable and, on at least one occasion, kissing a student and suggesting they go to a hotel after telling her he could help her career," according to the report from USA Today.
Miles was reprimanded by the university and required to sign forms stating that he understood the university's policies. In addition, Miles was "ordered him to stop hiring student employees to babysit, cease being alone with them, and attend eight, one-hour sessions with an attorney and pay for it out of his own pocket," according to the report. If he violated any of the terms, he would be fired.
Specifics of the settlement are practically non-existent -- The Advocate says that it "does not turn up in searches of Baton Rouge court records" -- but Miles was nevertheless the subject of another investigation by Baton Rouge law firm Taylor Porter at the time, around 2013, per USA Today. The Advocate also reported that an attorney from Taylor Porter, Vicki Crochet, contacted LSU's H.R. director, A.G. Monaco, asking him to keep information about the investigation a secret from the university's higher ups -- which he declined to do. The contents of that investigation have been kept under wraps, but attorneys representing Miles have agreed to allow the court in Baton Rouge to release it.
The revelation of the Taylor Porter investigation is timely given the broader investigation by the Husch Blackwell law firm into LSU's dealings with such matters dating back to Miles' time in Baton Rouge.
Miles, who was fired by LSU four games into the 2016 season, denied that he harassed the student when reached by the paper. He did not, however, directly address questions about the settlement. LSU vice president of strategic communications Jim Sabourin also released a brief statement to the paper, saying, "As part of the Husch Blackwell review and our internal investigations, we have heard about a settlement but LSU is not a party to it and we have not seen it."
Kansas, which is 3-18 in two years under Miles, has not issued a statement.
