Former Ull Coach Wins $2 Million Judgment In Discrimination Case

[Mean Green 93-98]

Former ULL coach wins $2 million judgment in discrimination case

Oct. 19, 2007

CBSSports.com wire reports

LAFAYETTE, La. -- A former head coach at the University of Lousiana at Lafayette has won a $2 million judgment in a lawsuit claiming the school fired him because of his race, not his 6-27 record.

Jurors found Jerry Baldwin's race wasn't the only reason he lost the job. According to the jury, university officials broke his contract and inflicted emotional distress through negligence.

The six white jurors and six black jurors took nearly 10 hours to work their way through a complicated verdict form late Thursday.

"There is no substitute for victory," said Baldwin's attorney, G. Karl Bernard.

Jurors voted 10-2 to award Baldwin $500,000 for general damages, including emotional distress; $600,000 for past lost wages; $900,000 for future lost wages and $2,676 for special damages.

ULL attorney Steve Oats said the evidence doesn't support the verdict for Baldwin, who was coach from 1999-2001, but he and university officials haven't decided their next step.

"It is clear Jerry Baldwin was not terminated because of his race," Oats said. "Jerry Baldwin was terminated over his tenure. The team had a record of 6-27, and attendance was terrible. The program was not going in the right direction."

Oats said the same officials accused of racial discrimination hired Baldwin.

"The university has a long history of not only supporting diversity, but of leadership in bringing diversity to its university and collegiate athletics," the university said in a statement Friday.

In closing arguments for the eight-day trial, Bernard said white coaches before and after Baldwin got new equipment and had a greater ability to market the football program via a coach's television show and through the university's marketing department.

Baldwin worked with used equipment, the marketing director was fired his second year on the job, and he never had a coach's show to promote the football program, Bernard said.

Oats also said there are no signs that Baldwin's ability to get another job in coaching has been hampered by the firing, and Baldwin's attorneys did not present any evidence that he suffered extreme emotional distress.

Bernard disagreed and said Baldwin's reputation suffered because of the firing.

Baldwin, 53, is now a minister at New Living Word Ministries in Ruston.

[NorthTexan95]

From what I've read in this article, if I was on that jury it would have been hung. The university should appeal that decision.

[Baby Arm!]

From what I've read in this article, if I was on that jury it would have been hung. The university should appeal that decision.

Every jury I'm on is hung ... BA DUMP BUMP. Thank you! I'm here all week, try the veal and remember to tip your waitresses.

[UNTflyer]

I don't see any evidence of racism here. You would think there would have been some kind of mention of that.

What a nation of cowards and whimps we have become.

[stebo]

I don't think that you can appeal a civil suit, can you? Just a criminal one, right?

[MGW]

From what I've read in this article, if I was on that jury it would have been hung. The university should appeal that decision.

I would hope the jury's decision was based on more than what was "read on [an] article."

That said, 6-27? Fire that man!

I don't see any evidence of racism here. You would think there would have been some kind of mention of that.

Not to be technical, but you haven't seen any of the evidence, of racism or not.

That said, 6-27? Fire that man!

[MGW]

I don't think that you can appeal a civil suit, can you? Just a criminal one, right?

You can.

Appeals in criminal cases are automatic to the intermediate level of appellate court, while a petition for discretionary review can be filed with the court of last resort in criminal matters (The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals).

In civil matters, you get an automatic right of appeal to the intermediate level of appeals, and the court of last resort is the Texas Supreme Court, which only hears civil matters.

Edited October 20, 2007 by MGW

[GangGreen]

Former ULL coach wins $2 million judgment in discrimination case

"There is no substitute for victory," said Baldwin's attorney, G. Karl Bernard.

[ADLER]

The only thing that Baldwin deserved was a visit from "Matt Foley: Motivational Speaker"

You Coach are probably saying to yourself, "Now, I'm gonna go out, and I'm gonna get the world by the tail and wrap it around pull it down and put it in my pocket. I'm gonna get rich off a big lawsuit!" Well, I'm here to tell you that you're probably gonna find out, as you go out there, that you're not gonna amount to JACK SQUAT! Whoop-dee-freakin-doo, you had a record of six wins and twenty seven fricking losses during your horrible career. You sucked as a coach, and you suck even more as a former coach.

You're gonna end up in Ruston eating a steady diet of government cheese and living in a van down by the river!

Dont like it? Well LA-DE-FRICKING-DA!