BACK ON THE FIELD

Judge Temporarily Reinstates Youngstown State Player Convicted in Steubenville Rape Case

Filed a lawsuit accusing the university of being infected with an anti-male bias.

A judge ordered an Ohio man convicted of rape as a teen to be temporarily reinstated to the Youngstown State University football team, Sports Illustrated reported Friday. Ma’lik Richmond filed a federal lawsuit against the university Wednesday after it allowed him to walk on to the football team, but then banned him from playing for the season. The lawsuit accuses the university of being infected with an anti-male bias stemming from Richmond’s prior rape conviction. Richmond, then a player on Steubenville High School’s football team, spent 10 months in juvenile prison after being convicted in 2013 of raping a 16-year old girl during a party. The case received national attention after allegations that the rape was being covered-up in an effort to protect the football team.