Sacred Heart University settles defamation lawsuit

Sacred Heart University has settled a defamation lawsuit brought by a man who was incorrectly identified by the Fairfield-based school as a suspect in an off-campus rape case involving a 19-year-old student.

According to a Connecticut Post report, the school”™s Department of Public Safety issued leaflets featuring a photograph of Bridgeport resident Gary Douglas as a suspect in a sexual assault that occurred last April 1. However, Douglas was never identified as a suspect by law enforcement and another man, Alfonso Reid, was arrested five days after the assault occurred. Douglas stated that Sacred Heart refused to retract the leaflets despite Reid”™s arrest and filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit.

While the terms of the settlement were not made public, the school released a written apology. “We realize you had no involvement whatsoever in that incident and regret that your photograph was mistakenly displayed by security at the university,” said Paul J. Healy, director of the university”™s emergency management and public safety office, in the letter to Douglas. “We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.”