IU to submit side in Knight case

Another chapter in the case of Robert Knight v. Indiana University is set to begin. \nWith Knight's suit formally filed at the Monroe County Courthouse, IU will now submit its own side of the story to the court. Once received, the court will decide whether the litigation hearings will proceed. \nKnight is suing the University for $2 million he claims he was denied as a result of his Sept. 2000 firing. Knight said he would have received the $2 million from his "non-enumerated" shoe contracts, radio and TV deals and basketball camp fees. \nThe lawsuit claims these sources of income, while not explicitly spelled out in Knight's contract, were understood by IU to be part of his total compensation. \nIU claims it has already compensated the former men's basketball coach fairly.\n"The University has fulfilled all of its obligations under the contract it had with Mr. Knight. Indiana University will defend its interests vigorously," the University said in a statement.\nIf the judge allows the litigation to proceed, the next step will be to collect evidence. Based on the evidence, the judge will decide whether to summon a jury.\nPeter Carstensen, a University of Wisconsin professor and tort expert, said this stage is crucial.\n"That's often the point at which the defendants opt to settle," Carstensen said. "If the judge says, yes there is enough evidence, then the judge has made a determination that the claims are plausible."\nIU spokesperson Jane Jankowski said an out-of-court settlement is still a possibility. Knight and the University have already tried repeatedly to negotiate a settlement and had extended the legal deadline for Knight to sue until Tuesday, two months later than the original date. \nOne deal proposed by the University had IU agreeing to pay Knight provided he could convince a coalition of 46 former students to drop their suit against IU for violating the state's open records laws, according to reports.\nKnight and his lawyers mailed the lawsuit Friday to the Monroe Country Clerk where it arrived Monday.\n"The University was very seriously engaged in conversations with Mr. Knight's attorney about the matter," Jankowski said. "There were things being discussed, and those things didn't come to fruition."\nIU is currently paying Knight more than $425,000 a year for eight more years as part of a deferred compensation package. Knight's contract ran through June 30, 2002, and his annual salary was $170,000.