Michigan Football Inquiry: Former Player Allegedly Provided Key Evidence, Misled NCAA
A former University of Michigan football player is at the center of new allegations in the ongoing NCAA investigation into alleged improper scouting practices, according to information provided to CBS News Detroit by a private investigator. The individual allegedly obtained videos from the personal computer of a former Michigan staffer without authorization and provided them to a private investigation firm, which then submitted them to the NCAA, triggering the investigation.
The same former player is also alleged to have lied to the NCAA regarding the actions of recruiting staffer Connor Stalions, and secretly recorded a phone call with Stalions.Stalions received an eight-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA. The NCAA has also confirmed that a campus source provided material information to the unnamed private investigation firm.
Dearborn, Michigan, attorney odey K. Meroueh, of Meroueh & Hallman LLP, believes Michigan could prevail in a state court appeal, citing concerns over how the evidence was obtained. “Its been alleged there has been some evidence that was illegally obtained in this matter… that does matter in state court,” Meroueh said. He explained that state courts adhere to due process standards,unlike the NCAA’s administrative proceedings.
Meroueh further stated that illegally obtained evidence could be deemed inadmissible under the “fruit of the poisonous tree” doctrine, potentially leading to the dismissal of the case against Michigan. “With the NCAA, they might not care where the evidence is coming from. They don’t have rules against that, but in the actual state court… when there’s evidence that’s obtained illegally… anything obtained from that evidence is deemed inadmissible.”
