$500,000 sex assault settlement paid to victim of alleged 2016 Gophers assault

The University of Minnesota has settled with a student who said she was sexually assaulted by a group of Gophers football players in 2016.

The U of M is paying the former student $500,000 as part of the settlement.

The settlement states, "(The victim) believes and has claimed that the University violated her rights relating to events occurring prior to Fall 2016 and as a result, has suffered physical injuries."

It adds, "The University denies that the events prior to Fall 2016 give rise to any legal responsibilities of the University to Claimant for the Incident."

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One of the accused players was suspended for a year and four were expelled. The others were cleared and, after a police investigation, prosecutors chose to not press charges. A judge also dismissed a lawsuit accusing the players of sexual assault.

Lee Hutton, the attorney representing the accused former U of M players said in a statement, "The racial tension going on in Minnesota underscores my lack of shock that even when a court of law exonerates black men, an organization led by the unwoke will at every turn find a way to further suffocate them."

KSTP reached out to the attorney representing the woman but has not yet heard back.