SPOKANE, Wash. — Jurors heard opening statements Wednesday in the civil trial against the Mead School District, where they will determine how much the district must pay in damages following a 2023 hazing incident at a football camp at Eastern Washington University.
A judge has already ruled the district failed in its mandatory reporting obligations and is liable for racial discrimination. Jurors were shown videos of the incident — footage widely shared on Snapchat — depicting two instances in which teammates held down victims while a massage gun was applied to their genitals as the victims screamed.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Marcus Sweester told jurors: “When parents send their children to school, to football practice or summer camp, parents are entrusting the school district with the most precious thing in their lives.”
The defense acknowledged the footage but questioned its clarity, saying, “It’s really impossible to tell what’s actually going on with the massage gun during those videos. It’s very chaotic. Obviously it’s a hazing that got completely out of control.”
Jurors also reviewed correspondence between coaches and staff about who knew of the incident and when it was reported. Sweester argued damages total between $20 million and $50 million, though the judge struck that figure, leaving the amount to the jury.
“What you’ll hear is that children need adults to act, that children need schools to protect them,” Sweester said.
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