Judge rules for IU in Knight suit

A Monroe County judge has sided with IU in former men's basketball coach Bob Knight's lawsuit over a breach of contract when he was fired three years ago.\nMonroe County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Todd granted IU's motion for summary judgement and dismissed the case without a full trial Monday.\nKnight's lawsuit claimed he lost more than $2 million in media and shoe contracts and endorsements after his termination.\nBut the University contended that Knight should not receive any more compensation after his termination than what originally was listed in the contract. \nDorothy Frapwell, legal counsel for IU, said the University "paid what we believed was required." \nParagraph nine of Knight's original contract, signed in 1982, stated the University could dismiss the coach "for any reason," Frapwell said. Under this clause, the University would be required to pay Knight a set amount once he was terminated.\nParagraph 11 of his contract stated IU could release Knight for "due cause" by recommendation from the athletic director, and in doing so give Knight a chance for an appeal hearing. \nFrapwell said Knight was terminated for "no cause" under paragraph nine.\nKnight's lawyer, Russell Yates, argued that Knight was fired under the "due cause" clause when then-President Myles Brand listed reasons for Knight's dismissal. Yates said Knight was due compensation for the outside contracts from the University because paragraph 11 was ambiguous as to whether Knight would receive payments after his termination.\nBut Todd ruled paragraph 11 is "virtually meaningless" as far as compensation, because Knight's payments after his firing were set in paragraph nine.\nTodd wrote in his ruling that whether Knight "was discharged with cause or without cause becomes a distinction without a difference insofar as his compensation is concerned."\nIU trustee Stephen Backer said the ruling was good because "it puts the issue behind us."\n"A good portion of what the case questioned was 'Did we pay (Knight) all that he was entitled to?'" Backer said. "I think it certainly says that we handled the termination of Coach Knight correctly."\nBoard of Trustees President Fred Eichhorn said Knight still has a chance to appeal the decision.\n-- Contact Campus editor Ben Cunningham at bacunnin@indiana.edu.