A judge in Columbus has dismissed the claims by nearly 100 former OSU students against the Ohio State University for sexual abuse by former team doctor Richard Strauss.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Judge Michael H. Watson said the case is barred to go forward due to a statue of limitations.
Watson said it’s indisputable Strauss abused hundreds of young men. He says that Ohio State officials turned a blind eye and the university failed the survivors — and that now the legal system also has failed them. OSU has apologized publicly.
Strauss was accused of sexual assault for incidents that occurred several decades ago.
Ohio State has already settled lawsuits involving 185 accusers for over $46 million. An independent investigation found that Ohio State officials knew about Strauss' misconduct as early as 1979, but failed to properly respond until 1996, and accusers say administrators willfully acted to hide the abuse.
The former team doctor worked at the school from 1978-1998, and died by apparent suicide in 2005.
