Adding to an ongoing lawsuit against the University, former men's lacrosse coach Mike Pressler amended his complaint Wednesday that his former employer defamed him.
The suit was originally filed in October with allegations that John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, violated the terms of a March 2007 confidential settlement between Pressler and the school.
The amendment states that Burness' comments not only broke the contract but were also slanderous in nature.
"The defendant's spokesman's statements about Coach Pressler were defamatory and slanderous; were intended to be defamatory and slanderous; and the defendant's spokesman knew that his slanderous statements would be published nationwide in Newsday and published on the Internet for all the world to read," the filing argues.
Attorneys for Pressler demand a jury trial in the amendment, with the intent of recovering actual and punitive damages in excess of $10,000 each.
The statement refers to comments Burness made in April and June of 2007 to Newsday and The Associated Press. In one instance, Burness is cited as telling Newsday that "coaches in general in each of our sports are responsible for the behavior of their teams."
Attorneys for Pressler and the University are scheduled to convene at the Durham County Courthouse tomorrow to discuss Pressler's initial demand that the March confidential agreement be rescinded.
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