Lawyers representing Bernie Fine’s accusers demand that men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim and Syracuse University release 25-year-old records in attempts to sue Boeheim and SU for defamation.

The lawyers requested a roster listing every individual SU basketball player, including phone numbers and addresses, from 1992 to 1997. The requested documents date back to 1983, when accusers Bobby Davis and Mike Lang worked as ball boys, according to a Post-Standard article published Wednesday.

Led by high-profile attorney Gloria Allred, the lawyers are also asking for the documents police filed for the university in regards to its investigation into Davis’ child molestation complaint against Fine, the former associate men’s basketball coach, according to the article.

In a Jan. 20 filing with a state Supreme Court judge in New York City, the lawyers listed a total of 26 requests for documents from the university, according to the article. Since the filing, SU’s and Boeheim’s lawyers have requested the defamation be dismissed and moved from New York City to Onondaga County. Because of this, the request for the documents was put on hold.

Davis and Lang’s lawyers say they believe the requested documents could identify potential witnesses located in New York City to help argue against moving the case to Onondaga County.

The request additionally asks for the names of any people the defendants know had a sexual or ‘inappropriately close’ relationship with either Fine or his wife, Laurie. It also asks for the names of people who have ever complained about either of the two engaging in sexual relationships with boys, teens or young men, according to the article.

The accusers’ lawyers submitted an affidavit for Davis this week. Davis stated that Fine’s wife had sexual relations with three unnamed basketball players from 1993 to 1997 in the affidavit. The affidavit mentions Davis overhearing players discuss the relations and overhearing Fine’s wife discussing performing oral sex on the players.

The plaintiff’s lawyers said they filed the affidavit to request the name of any player located in New York City to argue that the lawsuit should stay downstate.

‘We have no comment beyond what is in the papers we have filed with the court in this case,’ Allred said in an email.

Davis and Lang sued Boeheim in December, claiming he defamed them when he publicly accused the stepbrothers of lying about Fine molesting them. Boeheim later apologized for these comments.

The request for a venue change of the lawsuit will be heard before state Supreme Court Justice Brian DeJoseph on Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. at the Onondaga County Courthouse, according to the papers.

Fine, who was fired from the university Nov. 27, has denied the allegations and has not been charged. Federal agents and the Syracuse Police Department continue to investigate.

meltagou@syr.edu 

Published on February 1, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Marwa: meltagou@syr.edu | @marwaeltagouri