OT: Todd Heywood of Lansing City Pulse Gives New Info on MSU Rape Culture

Submitted by wildbackdunesman on

Todd Heywood of the Lansing City Pulse was interviewed on the Huge Show today and didn't paint a pretty picture. 

I know that Huge can be annoying, but he is the only media on the west side of the state that I know of that has tried to ask questions about the practices of the MSU basketball and football teams...and he has done so against a fierce Spartan Nation backlash.

 

Some of the more interesting tidbits:

-It took less than 5 days from the Payne Appling gang rape allegation to determine that they wouldn't move forward.  Police got the warrant on August 30th, conducted the warrant on August 31st, interviewed Payne on September 1st (link to Payne interview), Appling Declined to be interviewed, and the MSU police decided to move forward, but on September 2nd prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III declined to bring charges.  Supposedly it normally takes a month plus to go through this process.  

-The MSU police destroyed evidence collected after this determination had been made.  Evidence destroyed included condoms that had DNA from the victim and of two men.

-Lots of crimes not known to the public, not in regard to sexual assault, but other crimes, especially against football players since 2008.

-Says no evidence of Izzo doing anything wrong in this Payne-Appling gang rape allegation, but he was fully aware and partially involved in the quick process that didn't follow university protocol.

-MSU has a track record of not releasing info and continues to do so....on internal studies and whether or not Title IX was contacted as required by law in various cases.

There are a lot of interesting pieces here.

If you want to listen to the interview, click this LINK

ThatTCGuy

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:21 PM ^

I am 100% convinced that if Dantonio and Izzo worked for any other school they would've been fired months ago. It says a lot about how toxic the culture is at Staee is that they haven't even considered punishing them.

clarkiefromcanada

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:31 PM ^

Eventually, victims of the football program, Appling/Payne, last year's dismissed players etc. will file for damages. It will be interesting to see what the outcomes of those cases will be.

The problem for Dantonio/Izzo isn't necessarily what they know right now in terms of legal action it's what they don't know is coming.

Hard-Baughlls

February 23rd, 2018 at 1:46 AM ^

hold my beer.  Took Baylor how long to out Briles?

Not saying MSU isn't a disgusting culture of enabling and coverup, but I think there are other places where this type of culture has occurred, is currently happening, and will continue to go on in the future.

bronxblue

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:25 PM ^

None of this surprises me. But my guess is if Izzo goes down, it will stem from the FBI report on recruiting, not the Appling/Payne situstion, even though that should be enough.

kehnonymous

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:26 PM ^

I feel sorry for the conscentious media MSU like Chris Vaninni who are now being pilloried by RCMB brahs as fake Spartans for, y'know, being disgusted by the actions of their university like any person of conscience would be 

The Krusty Kra…

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:56 PM ^

Reasonable person and MSU alum Chris Vannini point out that treating an artcile entitled "Paula Lavgine is a Liar - Part 1" as a complete fallacy. His mentions were an absolute tire fire. We're reaching the point where Spartan fans are becoming Paternoites without any charges even being filed against the coaches...

ThadMattasagoblin

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:51 PM ^

When you have so many people like the city pulse, espn, former employees at the university saying that sexual assault is covered up then its not a witch hunt. Where theres smoke, theres fire.

yossarians tree

February 23rd, 2018 at 1:58 PM ^

A while ago Brian wrote a blog here that detailed about 8 egregious examples of Dantonio's roided up footballers scrapes with the law/assaults/sex assaults and in each one the player(s) were immediately put back on the field. Mork is a fucking asshole who has made his name and his obsession on beating Michigan and he doesn't give a fuck about anything else.

NateVolk

February 22nd, 2018 at 11:57 PM ^

The school and their fans look foolish. Nobody is being convinced.

Whether or not either or both of those clowns come back is beside the point. The point is entire University with no self respect dragging itself deeper into the mud over two sports coaches. 

The chances this is a hit job by the media are zero. The chances more things won't come out as more digging is done and more victims smell an opportunity for revenge are also zero.

The entire affair is sad and cautionary to other schools. 

Maize4Life

February 23rd, 2018 at 12:11 AM ^

Im searching for....what is it...hmmmm...oh yeah CONSPIRACY between MSU/IZZO/Dantonio/Hollis MSU Police and others to cover it all up

madmaxweb

February 23rd, 2018 at 12:38 AM ^

So is nothing coming of the faculties vote of no confidence for the school board? Kinda surprised that was announced and then seemed like everyone forgot. Don’t think I saw any real responses to it from the board or even the interim president.

ATC

February 23rd, 2018 at 1:53 AM ^

of 121 criminal allegation cases of MSU student athletes (outside of sexual assault) since 2008 in his ongoing review of over 4,000 pages of documents.

brad

February 23rd, 2018 at 1:52 AM ^

Having grown up in the land grant side of public institutions and then chosen to go to M anyway, I can tell you with certainty: Izzo and Dantonio have exactly zero to fear from within, and only a little to fear from without.

"No-one Cares about Institution X" is the driver to especially Dantonio's survival for the past half decade.

Blue 4 Life

February 23rd, 2018 at 5:10 AM ^

The thing that's kill me about what's going on in East Lansing is where were all the authorities during this? So you're telling me there's a confessoin on tape of a basketball player admitting he raped a girl and he just kept playing ball? Why wasn't he locked up?

Are you telling me there was no where any of these girls could go for justice? That's f'ing sad if its true.

A Nonymous

February 23rd, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^

Payne may not be the most eloquent speaker but he has been misquoted time and time again.

“ Yeah, She felt like she couldn't, but, I mean, that was at the end of everything. And I was, like -- I just wasn't seeing it. Like if she wanted to leave, she could have just”

blueday

February 23rd, 2018 at 5:19 AM ^

Gibson. It's a culture of win at all costs and who cares about the women victims. All is good in EL. They won the Big. In their minds, their model is validated.

lilpenny1316

February 23rd, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^

...forget about it.  I had no idea about the condoms being destroyed.  I believe we'll be seeing another E:60 follow up report.

Oh, speaking of the coverage, Ryan Schuiling has done a really good job of interviewing principals involved without getting all homerish.  He had alleged victims, Paula Lavigne, Lauren Allswede and Todd Heywood on his program.  And he's in Lansing.

MGoStrength

February 23rd, 2018 at 11:37 AM ^

 

The MSU police destroyed evidence collected after this determination had been made. Evidence destroyed included condoms that had DNA from the victim and of two men.

 

Arb lover

February 23rd, 2018 at 1:48 PM ^

It's usually up to the State. In Michigan, the applicable records retention schedule (classification) is based on what they were alleged to have done, not whether or not they pled guilty or were convicted. 

You be the judge of how long it should have been held:

Incident files, non-criminal (destroy 4 years after)

Incident files, misdemeanor (destroy 8 years after)

Incident files, felony (destroy 21 years after)

webbertucky

February 23rd, 2018 at 4:00 PM ^

I read the Lansing Pulse article and listened to some of the huge broadcast. What i don't get is it actually seems like MSU/Izzo was proactive in getting Appling/Payne away from the accuser. That is what they are saying was not following procedures. But how is that bad? Shouldn't that be encouraged?

The part that I find most alarming is the 120 cases of crimes from other athletes. That is a lot. Maybe they were all girls rowing though. ha.