Expelled Univ. of Houston Couple Files Lawsuit Over Title IX Decision

They say they were denied their rights to a fair hearing in the sexual misconduct case.
Published: October 27, 2014

An expelled couple, accused of violating the University of Houston’s sexual misconduct policy, has filed a lawsuit against the school and two administrators for the handling of the Title IX case.

Natalie Plummer and Ryan McConnell say they were given little chance to defend themselves in the case, where the charges included sexually abusing a female student, recording and transmitting sexual images without the contest of all involved, and engaging in sexual behavior, which was “severe and had the purpose or effect of interfering with another student’s educational performance,” , according a report in the Houston Chronicle. Houston Police investigated the case, according to the lawsuit, and said there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

The incident occurred Nov. 12, 2011 when Plummer says she caught her drunken boyfriend having sex with the female, which he says was consensual. Plummer started taking photos before switching to film to document McConnell’s infidelity before she says the woman woke up and asked her for sex.

The woman was reportedly tossed out of the room naked.

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In her complaint in February of 2012, the woman said she didn’t remember anything from that night, but at the hospital, the results from a rape kit caused a nurse to believe she was sexually assaulted.

Last February, Plummer and McConnell received a letter from the university saying that they had been found guilty, which they appealed at an administrative hearing, before being told they were being kicked out of school in September.

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