Lawrence Connell has settled his defamation suit with his old school and the one-time Widener assistant law professor seems very happy.
“All claims amongst all parties have been resolved amicably and professor Connell’s employment with the University and Law School has been concluded,” said his lawyer Thomas S. Neuberger in a statement. “Specific terms of the resolution are confidential. So, we have no further comment.”
Widener does not appear to have released a statement.
Connell was placed on administrative leave in December 2010 after he
was accused of violating Widener’s harassment and discrimination rules.
Connell, who is white, used the law school’s dean, Linda Ammons, who is black, in hypothetical stituations to illustrate to his class legal points. One of the hypotheticals involved the attempted murder of Ms. Ammons.
The use of school figures, including deans, is not an uncommon thing to do in these matters.
Well, Dean Ammons took offense and ordered him removed from campus. Connell also said the Dean started a personal vendetta against him which resulted in two students accusing him of racial harassment and sexual discrimination — charges of which he was cleared by a school committee.
After this, the law professor sued Ms. Ammons for defamation. He says Ms. Ammons targeted him for his conservative political beliefs.
Did he win? He seems to be smiling.
The question now is why does Widener — which has the largest law school in Pennsylvania even though its first campus is in Delaware — has such a petty, mean-spirited and not-real-smart person as the school’s dean?
