Don Grady is still fighting his dismissal as NIU's police chief. Earlier this year, the university fired Grady amid a department scandal. Top officials were accused of mishandling evidence in a rape case against a former officer. Grady's attorney Michael Fox says they maintain that Grady did nothing wrong and that his punishment was unjust.
"When they took this action, it likely destroys much of what career an individual in his place has developed over a lifetime," Fox said.
Fox's comments come a week after a merit board voted to reinstate a police lieutenant involved in the scandal. The lieutenant was accused of misplacing evidence a judge said could have aided the case of the former officer at the center of the rape allegations. But the merit board noted that Lt. Kartik Ramakrishnan had already been disciplined by Grady.
Over the summer, Fox says Grady was denied a hearing he requested. He did get an administrative hearing at the time of his dismissal. But his attorney says it was an insufficient process. They now plan to challenge the firing through the courts.
WNIJ reached out to NIU officials for a response to Fox's statements. But a spokesman says they have no comment.