SPOKANE, Wash – A Spokane County jury has ordered the Mead School District to pay $17 million to the families of two former football players, held down and hazed during a summer football camp.
Several families sued the district over the 2023 incident, saying the district failed in its duty to protect students and failed to report the incident in a timely manner.
Two families previously settled with the district, but the families of two other boys brought the case to trial.
The jury awarded $8 million to one of the boys and $500,000 to each of his parents. A second victim was awarded $7 million, with his parents each getting $500,000 as well.
Videos of the incident showed the boys being held down, with older players using a massage gun in their genital area.
Judge Annette Plese ruled before the trial started that the district was liable because it failed to protect students from discrimination and assault. Judge Please also ruled that the district didn’t follow mandatory reporting rules.
The only decision the jury had to make was how much to award each victim in damages.
This is not the end of the legal battle over this incident.
The families are also suing in federal court, alleging Title IX violations. In that case, the district is named as a defendant along with several of the players accused and Eastern Washington University where the camp was held.
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