A North Carolina appeals court has cleared Duke's former lacrosse coach, Mike Pressler, to pursue a slander lawsuit against the University, according to The (Raleigh) News & Observer.
Pressler had been set to go to arbitration over his lawsuit, which alleges slander in comments made by John Burness, formerly the school's senior vice president for public affairs and government relations. He can now seek punitive damages, the N&O reported, after the appeals court upheld a lower court's ruling.
Burness is now a visiting professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
Pressler was fired in the aftermath of the infamous 2006 party held by the lacrosse team that resulted in three players being falsely accused of rape. The 2006 season was cancelled by President Richard Brodhead while former District Attorney Mike Nifong pursued the charges. All three players--David Evans, Reade Seligman and Colin Finnerty--were cleared of any wrongdoing.
Pressler is now the head coach at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
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