University of Alabama Sued Over Student's Suicide
A former student of the University of Alabama, Megan Rondini, has committed suicide in February 2016 after her rape case was mishandled. Now, the family is suing the alleged attacker, school officials and law enforcement.
The parents of Megan — Michael and Cynthia Rondini — have filed a federal wrongful death suit over the weekend, claiming that the alleged assault and the officials' subsequent mishandling of the allegations prompted their daughter to kill herself. The lawsuit claims Megan — then a 20-year-old junior — met a man at a Tuscaloosa bar and was allegedly tranquilized before being raped in his home in July 2015.
The lawsuit claims police investigating the sexual assault were sympathetic toward the alleged attacker, Terry Bunn Jr., and wrongly focused on Megan's actions, which include taking a handgun and $3 for cab fare from his home.
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"Megan ultimately was treated as a crime suspect and her status as a victim of a sex crime was completely disregarded," the lawsuit reads. Megan withdrew from the University of Alabama in October 2015 and moved back to Texas. She afterward suffered from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress order, which led to her death.
The University of Alabama is also accused of denying Megan's psychological treatment. One counselor allegedly said she could not treat her because she had ties to the Bunn family, while another counselor refused to see her unless she began taking anxiety medication. The family's lawyer, Leroy Maxwell Jr., said the lawsuit was filed to prevent similar incidents like Megan's from happening.
"The Rondini family is not in this for the money, they are only interested in shining a bright light on a tragic yet preventable situation," the lawyer told AL.com. "The court will determine if this case rises to the level of punitive damages," he added.
While the University of Alabama declined to comment on specifics of the lawsuit, they said the school officials were deeply saddened by Megan's death. In fact, they are trying to raise community awareness and support victims of sexual assault.
