TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A judge is now considering whether to dismiss a lawsuit over Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) presidential search.
Several FAMU alumni sued the Board of Trustees last June, claiming the search was rigged for Marva Johnson. They want the judge to order an independent investigation into the search.
Attorneys on both sides presented their case Wednesday afternoon. The plaintiff’s attorney, Ennis Jacobs, pointed to all the concerns raised during the search, including those raised by the plaintiff and then Board member Earnie Ellison.
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He said the board refused to act on all those concerns.
“If you don’t do this court action, those statements will never be heard. The true essence and depth of the process that occurred will never be known,” the plaintiff’s attorney said.
The attorney for the board, Maria Santoro, asked the judge to dismiss the suit, saying there’s no legal basis for an investigation.
“They don’t like the vote and so now they want to come with no legal standing, requiring the court to do something it has no jurisdiction to do and go back and say, ‘No, don’t do that,’” Santoro said.
The judge did not rule today, but he said he expects to issue something next week.
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