Lawyers for Les Wexner filed a motion late Tuesday to quash a subpoena in the civil case against Ohio State University over sexual abuse by former team doctor Richard Strauss.
The motion filed in federal court in Columbus says there is no evidence to suggest that Wexner had any relevant knowledge regarding Strauss or his victims.
Wexner served on Ohio State's Board of Trustees from 1988-1997 and was board chair while Strauss was team doctor. A group of survivors filed suit against Ohio State and have asked that Wexner be subpoenaed about what he knows about Strauss' actions.
The motion by Wexner's lawyers says that no document, fact sheets, affidavits or testimony filed in the case shows Wexner had any knowledge, yet the plaintiffs demand to take his deposition anyway.
Wexner's lawyer also attached an exhibit where Wexner said that to the best of his knowledge, he has never communicated with Strauss.
"Plaintiffs’ established pattern of impermissibly waging a multi-faceted media campaign intended to foster a public frenzy and engender sympathy with the hope of materially prejudicing these proceedings is well known and, quite frankly, improper under the Rules of Professional Conduct," the motion said. "The seemingly endless series of extrajudicial attacks have targeted not just the University but many others, including the Wexners."
Some of the abuse survivors attended an Ohio State Board of Trustees meeting and have asked the university to remove Wexner's name from the Woody Hayes Athletics Center. The university has denied that request.
Steve Snyder-Hill, one of Strauss' victims and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, told WOSU in an interview Wednesday, "It's definitely telling that OSU doesn't want this man deposed. They're clearly protecting him."
Later, in a statement, Snyder-Hill said, "This is not a PR stunt as the filing would make people believe."
Snyder-Hill also said that it is concerning that the court filing is signed by a lawyer in John Zeiger’s law firm, Zeiger, Tigges & Little. Zeiger is the current chairman of the Ohio State Board of Trustees and his firm represents Wexner.
