NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – A two-year lawsuit over Open Records Requests between NonDoc Media and the University of Oklahoma continues because OU refuses to release two investigative reports.
A new hearing was held Friday at the Cleveland County Courthouse.
NonDoc requested permission to depose an OU official about the reports.
The judge said she’ll decide by next week.
One of the reports contains information about alleged sexual misconduct from former OU President David Boren.
OU’s attorneys claim the information is privileged and cannot be released publicly.
“If a public body – a school district, a local county commissioner board – can simply say well we hired a law firm to look into this matter, so we never have to tell people what the details were, just because it’s a law firm, that’s a problem,” said Tres Savage, Editor-in-Chief at NonDoc.
In 2019, the university hired Jones Day, an international law firm, to investigate sexual harassment claims against Boren. It reportedly cost OU over $1 million.
That same year, Jess Eddy, a former Boren aide, spoke to KFOR about an experience he allegedly had on a university trip.
It allegedly happened nine years earlier, when Eddy was a student at OU. Him and Boren went on a trip to Houston where the two shared a hotel room. During the trip, Boren made unwanted sexual advances, according to Eddy.
He was at the hearing Friday.
“I believe the evidence is in OU’s hands,” said Eddy. “I’m entitled to see that just as every Oklahoman is.”
Eddy said there are more victims and the report will prove it.
“The university hid that report and allowed David Boren to walk away quietly,” said Eddy.
After the hearing Friday, attorneys for OU refused to comment or explain their reasoning for withholding the investigative reports.
KFOR also reached out to OU for comment and did not hear back.
OU attorneys filed a
Savage, an OU journalism alumni, said more discovery information needs to be shared before a fair judgment can reached.
If it is ultimately decided that the reports can remain suppressed, the NonDoc editor said it opens the door for other public entities to act in a similar way.
“That’s a precedent that can be very concerning. That can apply for the State Board of Education, that could apply to the Turnpike Authority, that could apply to Norman public school or Oklahoma City Public Schools – it would be a very bad decision,” said Savage.