University gets more time to respond to ex-coach's free-speech suit

By The Associated Press

01.31.03

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas now has until the end of February to respond to a lawsuit filed by former Razorback basketball coach Nolan Richardson.

The school’s original deadline was today. But Richardson’s lawyers filed an amended complaint Jan. 29 to add the university’s Board of Trustees and the Razorback Foundation as defendants.

The new deadline is Feb. 28.

The suit, which was filed Dec. 20, claims Richardson was discriminated against because he is black and that his free-speech rights were violated. The suit also asks that he be reinstated as Arkansas’ coach.

The university entities were added after Richardson received a right-to-sue letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Jan. 21. The EEOC declined to join the case.

Already named as defendants were university system President B. Alan Sugg, university Chancellor John A. White and athletic director Frank Broyles.

Richardson wants a federal judge to declare that the university punished him for exercising his freedom of speech and subjected him to racial discrimination in employment.

Richardson claims that his outspokenness on racial discrimination matters as they related to his job and society upset the school, particularly Broyles, and contributed to his termination.

White fired Richardson on March 1, after the longtime coach complained that he was being treated differently because he is black and that the school could buy out the remaining six years of his contract if it desired.

In firing Richardson, the university agreed to pay him up to $3 million over the remaining years of what started as a seven-year contract. The Razorback Foundation has been making the payments.

Richardson coached the Razorbacks to an NCAA championship in 1994 and the title game in 1995. He was head coach at the Fayetteville campus for 17 years.

In addition to seeking reinstatement, Richardson is seeking lost wages and damages for harm to his reputation, mental and emotional stress, and legal fees.

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