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https://www.espn.com/college-footba...s-coach-told-not-report-physical-fight-police
Penn State football coach James Franklin told a player not to talk to police following a fight with a star linebacker in a 2018 incident that involved punching, choking and a knife being pulled, according to allegations contained in a university report obtained by ESPN.
The accusation by now-former Nittany Lions defensive back Isaiah Humphries is contained in a draft report that was part of a 2019 Title IX inquiry into sexual assault allegations in the Penn State locker room. The document sheds new light on the allegations that became public when Humphries sued the school early this year. The report, which does not include conclusions by investigators, contains interviews with dozens of football players, coaches and staff.
Humphries told investigators that, after his fight with linebacker Micah Parsons in March 2018, he met with Franklin in the coach's car outside the Lasch football building, according to the report. The investigator wrote: "Mr. Humphries added that Coach Franklin came and said, 'Don't talk to the police because Micah is his start [sic] player and makes money, so if he gets in trouble, he's gone,' meaning Mr. Humphries would be gone."
In a statement to ESPN, a university spokesperson said "Franklin has made it clear that he did not instruct Mr. Humphries to avoid contacting authorities."
"We believe the claims relating to Coach Franklin have no merit, and we will continue to defend him vigorously," the statement said.
Humphries, who transferred to Cal last year, has alleged sexual harassment by Parsons, defensive tackle Damion Barber and defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, the report shows. Humphries repeated those allegations in a January lawsuit that names Barber, Franklin and the school as defendants.
The school's document includes denials of the allegations from Barber and Gross-Matos. The document states that Parsons reviewed the draft of the report in August 2019. He did not respond to ESPN's request for comment.
Humphries told school investigators that Barber and Parsons threatened him, telling him they were "making me a b---- because this is prison" and that Barber said, "I'm gonna Sandusky you," referring to former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky. He also said they would try to place genitalia close to players' faces and simulate sex acts and attempt to touch him in the shower, according to the report. He said the three players would wrestle him to the ground while clad only in their towels.
~snip~
Humphries said his 2018 fight with Parsons began when Parsons poured water on him while he was asleep in the academic center and that some of the water got on his laptop and phone, according to the report. Humphries said he then poured Gatorade on Parsons, who then punched him.
Humphries told a school investigator that Parsons was choking him and wouldn't stop, so Humphries pulled out a pocket knife, which he said led Parsons to stop choking him and put an end to the fight, according to the report.
Following the fight, Humphries' father, former Penn State player Leonard Humphries, had an animated conversation with Franklin, he told ESPN.
"[Franklin is] on the phone saying, 'Where did [Isaiah] get a f---ing knife? I can't control the f---ing situation. Now the police are going to get involved,'" Leonard Humphries said Franklin told him.
Two days after the fight, in a meeting inside Franklin's office attended by two assistant coaches, Isaiah Humphries said Franklin told him "you should have just gotten your *** beat and not pulled a knife," according to the amended complaint Humphries filed in October.
Humphries told ESPN he never spoke with police about his fight with Parsons. But Penn State placed Parsons on conduct probation from May 21, 2018, through Dec. 21, 2018, in part for his role in the fight, according to the complaint.
Penn State football coach James Franklin told a player not to talk to police following a fight with a star linebacker in a 2018 incident that involved punching, choking and a knife being pulled, according to allegations contained in a university report obtained by ESPN.
The accusation by now-former Nittany Lions defensive back Isaiah Humphries is contained in a draft report that was part of a 2019 Title IX inquiry into sexual assault allegations in the Penn State locker room. The document sheds new light on the allegations that became public when Humphries sued the school early this year. The report, which does not include conclusions by investigators, contains interviews with dozens of football players, coaches and staff.
Humphries told investigators that, after his fight with linebacker Micah Parsons in March 2018, he met with Franklin in the coach's car outside the Lasch football building, according to the report. The investigator wrote: "Mr. Humphries added that Coach Franklin came and said, 'Don't talk to the police because Micah is his start [sic] player and makes money, so if he gets in trouble, he's gone,' meaning Mr. Humphries would be gone."
In a statement to ESPN, a university spokesperson said "Franklin has made it clear that he did not instruct Mr. Humphries to avoid contacting authorities."
"We believe the claims relating to Coach Franklin have no merit, and we will continue to defend him vigorously," the statement said.
Humphries, who transferred to Cal last year, has alleged sexual harassment by Parsons, defensive tackle Damion Barber and defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, the report shows. Humphries repeated those allegations in a January lawsuit that names Barber, Franklin and the school as defendants.
The school's document includes denials of the allegations from Barber and Gross-Matos. The document states that Parsons reviewed the draft of the report in August 2019. He did not respond to ESPN's request for comment.
Humphries told school investigators that Barber and Parsons threatened him, telling him they were "making me a b---- because this is prison" and that Barber said, "I'm gonna Sandusky you," referring to former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky. He also said they would try to place genitalia close to players' faces and simulate sex acts and attempt to touch him in the shower, according to the report. He said the three players would wrestle him to the ground while clad only in their towels.
~snip~
Humphries said his 2018 fight with Parsons began when Parsons poured water on him while he was asleep in the academic center and that some of the water got on his laptop and phone, according to the report. Humphries said he then poured Gatorade on Parsons, who then punched him.
Humphries told a school investigator that Parsons was choking him and wouldn't stop, so Humphries pulled out a pocket knife, which he said led Parsons to stop choking him and put an end to the fight, according to the report.
Following the fight, Humphries' father, former Penn State player Leonard Humphries, had an animated conversation with Franklin, he told ESPN.
"[Franklin is] on the phone saying, 'Where did [Isaiah] get a f---ing knife? I can't control the f---ing situation. Now the police are going to get involved,'" Leonard Humphries said Franklin told him.
Two days after the fight, in a meeting inside Franklin's office attended by two assistant coaches, Isaiah Humphries said Franklin told him "you should have just gotten your *** beat and not pulled a knife," according to the amended complaint Humphries filed in October.
Humphries told ESPN he never spoke with police about his fight with Parsons. But Penn State placed Parsons on conduct probation from May 21, 2018, through Dec. 21, 2018, in part for his role in the fight, according to the complaint.
