A judge has dismissed a lawsuit against St. John's University filed by a former student who claimed the school falsely found he sexually assaulted a female student.

The student, identified as John Doe, sued St. John's in federal court in 2016 after a female student from the neighboring College of St. Benedict reported he sexually assaulted her. The lawsuit said that the two had engaged in consensual sexual conduct and that she had initiated sexual contact earlier in the night. He also alleged that the investigation was biased against him because he was prevented from adequately challenging her allegations.

The St. John's student was suspended and transferred to another institution. Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson granted St. John's attorneys' motion to dismiss the case, saying the student's attorneys failed to introduce facts to support his claims.

As colleges around the country address sexual assault, some schools, including the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, are facing similar suits. Students accused of sexual assault say that colleges are denying them due process and creating a new class of victims.

STAFF REPORT